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LETTERS AND JOURNALS ^ 

RELATING TO THE 



CAPT 



^KE OF THE OERMAN TKOOPS 
AT SARATOGA. 

B. MKS. GENEKAL BIEDESEL, 



35^ WILLIAM L. STONE, 



MAN, 7yVC, J.I -''•'~ 



u HUMANI NIHIL ALIEN-CM." 




ALBANY : 
JOEL MUNSELL 

18G7 



1867. .^,^rv °^Cor,^ 



'^ of Was'r.".^^^' 



lO^ 






Entered accorfins to Act of Co»gre,. in the year iai7, 

Bj' J. MUNSELL, 

In the C'erkjs Office Of the District Court of the United States, 
for the Northern District of New York. 



JAMES B. ANGELL, 
|)usib«nt of tl)e Enioersitji of b^rmont, 



FIRST INSPIRED ME WITH A LOVE FOR THE GERMAN 
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, 



THIS VOLUME 



IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 









Entered .ccorlLg ,„ Ac. of c„„gre,8 1. the j.ar la!,, 

By J. MUNSKLL, 

In the C'erl^s Office Of the District Court of the United States 
for the Northern District of New York. 



JAMES B. ANGELL, 
IPresib^nt of tl)e EnitJersits of b-ermont, 



FIRST INSPIRED ME WITH A LOVE FOR THE GERMAN 
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, 



THIS VOLUME 



IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 



The memory of Madame Riedesel* will live in the hearts of 
Americans, as long as letters shall endure. The child-like 
trust in Providence, which alone enabled her to leave a luxu- 
rious home and powerful friends, and follow her husband across 
a pathless ocean into a strange land, then almost a wilderness, 
for the sake of sharing with him his trials and hardships, affords 
an example worthy of our study and admiration. Nor can any 
one peruse these touching records of a devoted, conjugal love, 
chastened and sanctified, as it was, by an unaffected religious 
experience, without the consciousness of a higher ideal of faith 
and duty. 

A few detached and imperfectly translated portions of these 
letters were first published in English by General Wilkinson, 
iu his Memoirs of my oicn Times, and were afterwards copied 
into Professor Siiliman's Tour in Canada. The work was sub- 
sequently more fully translated and given to the public in 1827. 
This translation, however, not only fails, in innumerable in- 
stances, to convey the ideas and spirit of the original, but omits 
nearly forty pages of the first and only Grerman edition published 



*Ried-esel, pronounced Re-day-zel, with accent on second syllable. The cock- 
neys in tlie British army pronounced itKed-hazel. 



6 



TEANSLATOB'S FBEFACE 



at Berlin in 1800.* Wlien, therefore, a few montlis since, Mr. 
Munsell proposed that I should undertake a new translation with 
original and explanatory notes, I entered into the work with 
alacrity. I felt that it was a duty I owed to the memory of 
one, who, as the associate and friend of Washington and 
Schuyler, Carleton and Burgoyne, was so identified with the 
early struggles of our national existence, to present her cha- 
racter to American readers in its true light. In his attempt to 
do this, the translator of the edition of 1827 has been only 
partially successful ; and, while our thanks are justly due him 
for his pioneer efforts in this direction, still, justice to Madame 
Riedesel forbids the incorporation of so incomplete a translation 
into our standard literature. " For the passages which have 
been omitted," says the translator in his preface to the edition 
of 1827, " no apology will be required by those who can read 
the original. The reading portion of mankind has become so 
hostile to vulgarity, so delicate, and in some respects so fastidi- 
ously refined, that many things and words that were perfectly 
innocent and inoflfeusive, or only pervertible by the sagacity of 
profligates and rakes, at a time not distant from that of Fielding 
and Smollett, are now considered utterly disgraceful, and are 
wholly banished from polite literature." The effect of this 
passage is to leave upon the minds of those who have not read 



*it was entitled, 2^ic ] 33enifji Dicifc luicf) 5lmcrica [ i^ricfc bcr | C^HMicraliii 
Don Diicbcfel | a\\i> bicfcr Stcifc | iiiib | >i)al;rciib iljrc§ fcclj6jnl;riacti 5luf= 
eiit[)alt§ I ill 5lincrica | ,^iir3cit bcebovtiijciiMrcicics | in bcii Sal^ren 1776 bi§ 
1783 I niul; ■Dcitt)'cl;Ianb ijcfcljricbcn | 23crlin | bci §anbc luib 8pcucr | 

1800. 16mo, pp. X, 352. 

The voyage of dut5' to America ; letters of Mrs. General Riedesel, upon her joiir- 
uey and during her six years' sojourn in America, at the time of war in that country, 
in the years IITG-USS, written to Germany. 



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 7 

the original, a totally false impression. If the readers of this 
volume are so " fastidiously refined " as to be shocked by any 
thing which the pure and lovely Madame Riedesel has written, 
it is high time that the works of our chastest authors be put 
out of their reach, until their morbid sensibilities be restored to 
a healthy tone. Designed for no eyes but those of her mother 
and her family, these letters have an unstudied familiarity. 
There is, however, nothing in them that can offend the correct 
and cultivated taste of any true man or woman. Many of them 
were written amid the sickening horrors of the camp ; and it is 
her artless and faithful delineations of the scenes through which 
she passed, and the state of society in this country at one of its 
most momentous epochs, that give to her story its highest charm 
and value. 

A translation of a passage from Weld's Voyage to North Ame- 
rica, in relation to the Indian chief Thayendanegea, which forms 
the appendix to the German volume, has been omitted, as the 
original is accessible to the English reader. In its place 
we give, as of far more interest, a personal sketch of the 
baroness, including an account of her romantic courtship and 
marriage. 

The appendix to the edition of 1827, contains several letters 
from General Riedesel to Generals Washington and Gates. 
These letters are not reproduced in this volume, as they 
will soon appear in a translation of the Life and Writings 
of General Riedesel, upon which I am now engaged. This 
work contains, besides Riedesel's military and personal jour- 
nal during his residence in America, many additional letters 
from Washington, Gates, Burgoyne, Schuyler, and other 



8 TBAKSLATOB'S PBEFACE. 

revolutioDary characters, which have never been published in 
English. 

To David M. Stone, T. W. Field, and the late Theodore 
Dwight of Brooklyn ; Friedrich Kapp, Charles Congdon, and 
David T. Valentine of New York ; Hon. Judge Hay of Saratoga 
Springs; and to my loved teacher and friend. Professor Eobin- 
son P. Dunn of Brown University, I am indebted for kind and 
valuable suggestions. Nor must I forget to thank Mr. John C. 
Buttre for the pains he has taken with the artistic engraving 
which forms the frontispiece of this volume. 

One word further in relation to the authenticity of the en- 
graving itself.* Upon writing to Lieutenant Colonel Max Von 
Eelking — the author of the Life and Writings of General Ried- 
esel, now residing at Meiningen — for a copy of the portrait 
of the baroness, he with great courtesy complied with my re- 
quest, accompanying the photograph with a letter, under date ol 
December 7, 1866, from which I make the following extract : 

" At last I am able to answer your wish. The only one to 
whom I could apply is Baron Rotenhan, a grandson of Mrs. 
General Riedesel, who has inherited the whole estate, and who 
is, at the same time, in the possession of all the family portraits. 
I, accordingly, send you enclosed the photograph, which you 
will please send back after having used it. Please send me 
five or six copies, which I would like to distribute among the 
relatives of Mrs. Riedesel. Baron Rotenhan has not given me 
any other items in relation to Mrs. Riedesel, although I asked 



*The portrait from which the engraving is taken, represents Madame Eiedesel 
\ at the age of sixteen, a few weeks before her marriage. It was painted by the 
celebrated German artist, Tischbein, in Itca. 



TRANSLA TORS PREFA CE. 

him for them. Probably be does not know n^ore tban that 
which I have stated in my biography of the General, which was 
communicated to me by his son." 

The kindness of this reply, as well as the prompt and appre- 
ciative response of Lieut. Col. Eelking and Baron Von Rotenhan 
to my request, will, I am confident, commend them to the 
gratitude of the American public. 

William L. Stone. 
Saratoga Spri7i(js, January 1st, 1867. 



PKEFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION. 



Of those German troops -w'liicli England hired for the purpose of 
conquering her revolted colonies, General Eiedesel commanded the 
Brunswickers.* In the year 1776, he departed at the head of those 
troops, leaving his wife with the wish that she, together with their 
children, should follow him to that portion of the globe. This she 
did, and thus created the occasion for the letters which the reader 
will find m this little volume. The authoress wrote them to her 
mother, the widov' of the minister of state, his excellency Herr von 
Massow, and a few intimate friends while upon her dangerous 
voyage and during her sojourn in America. 

A few j'ears subsequently, this correspondence came into the hands 
of her son-in-law, Count Henry Reuss the XLIV, grand-marshal and 
chamberlain to the court of Berlin. 

The count took advantage of the leisure of one summer, which he 
spent with his parents-in-law at their countr3'--seat, to arrange the 
letters in order, and, on account of the great interest which they 
excited among all the relatives, he had them, the following winter, 
printed as manuscript for the family, though only a very small 
number of copies were printed. 

General Riedesel, however, did not live to see them in print. He 
died on the sixth of January of the same year, while holding the 



* Early in the year 1T"6, England entered into treaties with the smaller German 
states to take into her service 20,000 German troops. The exact number of those 
hired was 16,900; of these more than 4,000 were Brunswickers. These latter, as 
stated in the text, were placed under the command of General Eiedesel. They 
consisted, according to Max Von Eelking, the learned and industrious German histo- 
rian, of the following troops : 1st, a regiment of (dismounted) Dragoons, imder Lieut. 
Col. Baum. 2d, Prince Frederick's regiment of Infantry ; Lieut. Col. Pratorius. 3d, 
Rhet's regiment of Infantry ; Lieut. Col. von Ehreukrook. 4th, Riedesel's former 
regiment of Infantry ; Lieut. Col. von Specht. 0th, Grenadiers ; Lieut. Col. Brey- 
man. tth. Rifle Battalion (Jagers) : Lieut. Col. Earner. 



PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION. H 

position of lieuteuant-geueral, and commandaut of the city of 
Brunswick. 

Even without this history of the appearance of these letters, one 
can easily see from the letters themselves, that they were not designed 
for publication ; still as it is not every thing intended for publication 
which is, for that reason, deserving of being printed, so there is cer- 
tainly much that is withheld from the public, which is worthy of 
being brought to its notice. Especially, did this seem to me to be the 
case with these letters ; and, accordingly, when one of these copies 
was presented me by the right honorable editor, I entreated him to 
allow me to prepare an edition for the public. The count granted 
the request, with the remark, " Yes, certainly, if you think good can 
be accomplished by it." I am most assuredly of that opinion. If 
examples are more heeded than mere pi-ecepts ; if fervid attachment 
in conjugal life ; if religious observance of the duties of a mother; if 
it is true that in all circumstances and situations of life, nothing 
affords so much satisfaction as the consciousness of having acted 
according to the dictates of duty ; if sacrifices and self-denials of all 
kinds do not impair the efforts toward fulfilling that duty; if a deter- 
mined resignation to unalterable circumstances ; if all this is worthy 
of imitation, and so much the more estimable as it is perhaps rarely 
to be found, especially among the higher classes ; then the publication 
of a book which exhibits the actual practice of all these virtues, cer- 
tainly cannot be without profit. In so far as truth is of more value 
than fiction, the greater will be the interest with which these letters 
will be read, because they rest upon facts, while in reading even the 
best of romances, the conviction that all was invented for the pur- 
poses of iustruction, must, after all, lessen the affectionate sympathy 
and weaken the moral effect that had been intended. 

With the approbation of the highly respected and honorable editor, 
I have altered the title of this little work for the present edition. In 
the one designed only for the family it runs thus : 

" Extracts from the letters and papers of General, Bafon de Riede- 
" sel and his wife nee Massow, concerning their common voyage to 
" America and their sojourn in that country, compiled and arranged 
" by their son-in-law, Count Reuss. Printed as manuscript for the 
"■family:' 

The great number of books, which are now published, make it 
particularly desirable, if not for the general reader, at least for the 
trade, that books of similar contents should be distinguished as much 
as possible by the title, especially when they relate to journeys. If, 



12 PREFACE TO THE GEBMAN EDITJOX. 

therefore, a title is much better if it is characteristic, I need make no 
apology for calling this " The Voyage of Duty to America." espe- 
cially as Mrs. General Riedescl does not come under the categoiy of 
those whom Yorick classes as travelers. Proofs of the correctness 
of this discriminating title, the reader will find upon every page of 
the book, if indeed it is not literally justified on pages 36, 38, and 
209.* That the title does not mention the letters of General Riedesel, 
and the fragment of his journal which relates to the military opera- 
tions of the English General Burgoync, must be excused by the fact 
that these letters are, in this connection, nothing but a part of a 
drama ; and the military report must be considered merely as an 
episode. 

A few typographical errors, which I shall not allow to remain 
standing in a revised edition, the reader, I hope, will excuse — espe- 
cially as they consist, for the most part, of omissions of types which 
can be set right without difficulty. 

The vignette of the title page represents a prominent cape in the 
St. Lawrence river (cape Diamond), which is a thousand feet above 
the level of the water, is the highest and most fortified point of 
Quebec, and, in fact, may be regarded as the citadel of the city. 

In addition, also, to the foct that this promontory presents a most 
picturesque appearance, it is particularly deser\ing of being here 
given as an embellishment, since it was the much longed for goal of 
the tedious voyage of the authoress, as mcU as the signal of its ter- 
mination. I have borrowed this suitable little ornament fi'om Weld's 
Journey to Xorth America, a work that was issued from my publishing 
house at the same time with the letters of Mrs. General Riedesel ; 
and the reading of which I can confidently recommend as very 
interesting to all those who wish to get a true and comprehensive 
idea of the recent condition of the free states of North America and 
the Cauadas.f 

CaKL SrEXER. 

Berlin, Mai/ Sth, 1800. 



♦These designated pages will be found, in this translation, in the twenty-first 
letter, iu the first portion of "The account of Mrs. General Eiedesel's jonmev from 
Wolfenbiittel to Bristol," and in her remarks just previous to her departure from 
Cambridge to Virginia. 

t Weld sojourned in North America from the end of the year 1"95 to the begin- 
ning of the year ITVtT. 



PERSONAL SKETCH. 



Frederika von Massow, afterwards Baroness Riedesel, was born 
in 1746. Her father, Lord von Massow who was commissioned 
by Frederick II, a governing president of the allied army, acted as 
commissary in chief, and as such was entrusted with the general 
management of aflFairs. He was a man of sterling worth, and in every 
respect deserving of the trust reposed in him by that monarch. Being 
obliged to remain a long time at the theatre of war, and not wishing 
to be separated from his family, they were domiciliated near him. 

Herr von Massow seems to have been a genial gentleman, and his 
house was open to many officers, who either were quartered in the 
same place with him, or resided in the vicinity. He had also a son 
in the allied army, and he, too, often brought his friends to the pa- 
rental roof. Mrs. Massow, we are informed, was an extremely amiable 
lady, who understood well how to do the honors of her house, at the 
same time that her husband kept an excellent table. But that which 
more than all drew the yx)uug officers to this hospitable house, were 
the beautiful and lovely daughters of the commissary, who by their 
grace and unaffected manners bewitched not only the younger offi- 
cers, but the older and more experienced generals. 

Riedesel had been in official correspondence with Herr von Massow 
for sometime previous to his becoming personally acquainted with 
him or his family. He was, therefore, on his first appearance at 
head-quarters, received like an old acquaintance, and as such intro- 
duced to the members of the household ; where, standing high, as he 
did, in favor with the duke Ferdinand, he was received with all the 
more distinction. 

Frederika (called by her own family Fritschen) made a deep im- 
pression upon the heart of the young cavalry captain, and an alli- 
ance would have been proposed in the winter of 1759-60, but for 
various adverse circumstances arising from the war. In his absence 



14 PERSONAL SKETCH OF 

» however, he had a friend at court, in the person of the eccentric 
Gunther, who afterwards became a distinguished officer ; from whose 
correspondence we gatlier an amusing episode of the j'oung hidy. 
It seems that he did not particularly enjoy her fovor, and gives vent 
to his grief in a letter to Ricdesel dated at Mindcu, the 2d December, 
as follows : 

" * * * She is truly worthy of the affection of such a 
deserving and distinguished man as yourself You must not regard 
what I write you on this subject as flattery, which I detest: But, 
my friend, I must ask a favor of you. Fredcrika is very much preju- 
diced against me, and treats me like a coach horse, capriciously, and 
seems determined to discern only my bad qualities. You know me, 
however, and I can at least flatter myself of having this piece of good 
fortune. Represent my character to her in another and a better light. 
I should feel very much grieved if a lady of so noble a character, and 
so many accomplishments as Fredcrika, should have such a bad 
opinion of me. I know that it is possible for you to convince her of 

the purit}^ of my sentiments. She has confessed to Madam H 

that she loves you most tenderly. I congratulate you from the bot- 
tom of my heart, and hope that an earlj' peace will aid you in 
attaining to the possession of so many charms. Now dear Ricdesel, 
adieu. Think occasionally, in the intoxication of your joy, of poor 
Giinther, who, shut ofl" from all human intercourse, has no other 
pleasure, at present, than of knowing of your happiness, and of re- 
maining to the last moment of his life. 

Yours truly and sincerely, 

Gunther." 

His colonel, Jeanncrt, who also frequentlj' visited the Massow 
fomily, and knew the state of affairs between the parties, often in his 
dry manner, expatiated at length upon the beauty and lovehness of 
the jungfrau, and prophesied an early peace. This friendship and 
interest often found expression in his official letters upon patrols and 
foraging, and was mingled in them with denunciations of his hard 
life and miserable quarters. 

Toward the end of the year 1762, Ricdesel ventured to follow the 
dictates of his heart, and inform the duke of the state of his feelings in 
respect to Miss ^lassow, at the same time asking, with all due form, his 
permission to the union. The duke, who had known for a long time 
how matters stood, cheerfully consented, and congratulated him most 
graciously. Neither Riedescl's parents nor those of Miss Massow had 
as yet given their formal consent to this union. The duke, there- 



MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 15 

fore, after the custom of those days, oflFered to act as negotiator, and 
request their permission to tlie match. He accordingly wrote first 
to his brother, the reigning duke, and having obtained his approba- 
tion, applied on the 12th of December to the parents of the lovers, 
for their consent. This obtained, he did not rest satisfied until he had 
himself arranged the nuptials at his head-quarters. Thus it was that 
the last days of the year were to be spent, after so many i^rivations 
and dangers, in a joyful and happy union. 

The 31st of December was appointed for the marriage. There 
were busy times in the Uttle hamlet of Newhaus. Adjutants and 
artillery oflicers galloped uji and down the streets, and all was ani- 
mation. Numbers of carriages containing richly dressed ladies were 
out, and the whole town gave indications of a gala day. As may 
naturally be supposed, there was no lack of parade, gifts and poems. 
The Duke Ferdinand, the heir to the throne. Prince Friederich, 
General Homboldt, Adjutant Reden, Private Secretary Westphal, 
Colonels Schieften, Oynhausen and Veltheim, and others, had their 
portraits painted in oil in full size, which they presented to the bride- 
groom in commemoration of the day.* Four of the most beautiful 
ladies had their pictures taken, representing the four seasons — the 
bride impersonating spring. 

Madame Riedesel, after the nuptials, remained with her family, 
while her husband marched with his regiment into the duchy of 
Brunswick, and went into garrison at Wolfenbuttel, where he pur- 
chased a house. The close of the seven years' war soon after, 
gave opportunity for a few years of respite from hostile strife, until 
the revolution in America disturbed the domestic relations of the 
baroness. The following pages describe the adventures that befell her 
during the period in which she followed the fortunes of her husband 
and countrymen in America, and form one of the most interesting 
books that have appeared in connection with that memorable con- 
test. On her return to Germany, in 1783, she enjoyed a respite of 
four years from the alarms of war, when her husband was advanced 
to the rank of lieutenant-general, and was sent into Holland to 
support the cause of the stadtholder; after which he returned to 
Lauterbach. In 1794 he was appointed commandant of the city of 
Brunswick, and died there in 1800. 

Madame Riedesel survived her husband eight years, and died at 



* The portraits of these officers, which hung in the auccstral castle at Lauter- 
bach, were destroyed in the general pillage of the place in 1848. 



16 PERSONAL SKETCH. 

Berlin, 29lli March, 1808, at the age of 62. She rests by the side of 
her beloved consort in the family vault at Lauterbach. Of her nine 
children three were living in 1856, namely: Caroline, unmarried; 
America, Avidow of Count Bernsdorf; and Charlotte, the wife of 
Major Von Schouing, in the service of the king of Saxony. Her only 
son, George, died 4th August, 1854, at Buchwald in Silesia. Frede- 
rika, the second daughter of Madame Riedesel, who accompanied 
her in all her wanderings in America, became one of the most dis- 
tinguished women of her day. She married the Count Reden (who 
died in 1854), and resided at Buchwald, which was the resort of all 
the celebrated men of the age. It was a favorite retreat of Hum- 
boldt, and also of Baron Stein. Madame Reden, accordingly, was 
on warm terms of friendship with the prominent men of the time ; 
and, after her death, the king of Prussia, Freiderich William, with 
whom she was intimate, caused a beautiful monument to be erected 
to her memory, Avith an appropriate inscription. She left but one 
daughter, who was married to Baron von Rotenhan, at Reutweins- 
dorf, in Bavaria, with whom this branch of the family of Riedesel 
dies out. 



LETTEKS 



From General Eiedesel to Jiis Wife. 

Leifert, Feh. 22d, 1776. 

Dearest Wife : Never liave I suffered more than upon my 
departure tliis morning. My heart was broken ; and could I 
have gone back who knows what I might have done. But, my 
darling, Grod has placed me in my present calling, and I must 
follow it. Duty and honor force me to this decision, and we 
must be comforted by this reflection and not murmur. Indeed, 
my chief solicitude arises from the state of your own health, in 
view of your approaching confinement. The care of our dear 
daughters, also, gives me anxiety. Gruard most preciously the 
dear ones. I love them most fondly. 

I am thus far on my journey without accident and in good 
health, although very tired in consequence of my anxiety of 
mind the past few days. I am hoping, however, for a refresh- 
ing sleep, and trust that you may be blessed in a similar manner. 

I have this evening been raised to the rank of major-general.* 



* The confidence which was reposed in Eiedesel is shown in the following letter 
to him from his duke, written just previous to his receiving his promotion. It 
would seem, also, from the letter itself, that Riedesel had expressed to the writer 
his solicitude at leaving his wife and family. 

Brunswick, Feb. 14th, 1776. 

My Dearest Colonel Riedesel : I have received your report of this day, wherein 
you mention to me that every thing is arranged for to-morrow's march. Thank- 
fully acknowledging your faithful services and cordial sentiments toward me, I do 
not doubt, in the least, that you will acquit yourself to ray perfect satisfaction with 



IQ LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

Therefore, my own Mrs. General, take good care of your "health, 
in order that you may follow me as quickly as possible after 
your happy delivery. 

GiFHORN, Pel. 22,(1, 1776. 

I have just arrived at Gifhorn, fortunately without accident, 
and, God be praised, without any desertion. I might have 
slept well last night had not my spirit been constantly with 
you and my dear children. Ah ! dear wife, you did not 
notice — and I am glad you did not — how much I have suffered 
the last four weeks, and what it has cost me to conceal from 
you my distress. My mind has not suffered so much from work 
(for to that I am habituated) as it has from melancholy and 
anxiety. Now, however, it is over with. God has so ordered 
it; let his will be done. 

I do not doubt that you will be able to follow me as soon as 
your confinement is safely over. Nurse carefully your own 
health, and do not venture too much with the young children. 
I think that the eldest and Frederica, also, will stand the 
journey well. But you must be careful, and not too greatly 
expose the youngest — whether it be a boy or a girl — nor 
injure it by excessive tenderness. It is better to be separated 
from a dearly loved child, for a little while, than to reproach 
yourself with its premature death. 

Secondly; you must not set out on your journey imtil you 
have received my first letters from America, from which you 
will learn where I am myself. Thirdly, and lastly, you must 



the command entrusted to you. You may rest assured that if, in an unhoped for 
case, it should please Heaven to take away your life, your wife and children shall 
be cared for as much as possible. But I hope and wish, that you may come back in 
God's own time, safe and well, even if you should not meet me again on earth. 

In the mean time, I hope to see you to-morrow, to wish you in person, all possible 
luck; and I remain, 

Your affectionate 

Carl, 
Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg. 
To Colonel Van Riedesel. 



OF MES. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 19 

obtain good letters of introduction to people in England, in 
order that your temporary sojourn in that country may be 
agreeable. Remember, also, to travel by short stages, and do 
not expose the children too much to the air. 



HAUKENBiiTTEL, Feh. 25th, 1776. 

I received, dear wife, your first letter early this morning ; 
and I thank God that you are well, and disposed to acquiesce 
in that which my duty and God's will have imposed upon me. 
Pray to our Heavenly Father that you may continue in this 
frame of mind, and he will assuredly give you the needful 
strength to overcome all rebellious feelings. I continue, thanks 
to a kind Providence, in good health, but, of necessity, am yet 
deprived of sleep, and my heart is still heavy. The presence 
of yourself and the dear children are wanting to my happiness. 
What says my little Gustava ? And how is the cunning elf 
Frederica ? Remember me to Madame Paasch and her daugh- 
ter, and say to the latter that she must write me a letter (which 
you are not to read) about your health and state of mind. 

Kiss our sweet little Gustava and Frederica for me, and rest 
assured that I am ever, &c. 



Amelinghausen, Feb. 29th, 1776. 

I will, in a few words, give you my diary. You know that 
on the 22d I was at Leifert, downhearted, thoughtful, and 
wearied, not having yet been able to obtain sleep. 

On the 23d, I spent a disagreeable, cold day at Gif horn, 
where, by the by, I dined with General Bremer. 

On the 24th we were at Haukenbiittel, where we had a day's 
rest. 

The 25th and 26th were spent at Yriestlldt. I reviewed my 
regiment of dragoons, which lay encamped at the country-seat 
of a Mr. de Grote. 



20 LETTEBS AND JOURNALS 

On the 27tli I arrived at Ebsdorf; and on the 28th reached 
Amelinghausen. At this place I inspected my infantry regi- 
ment, and returned to my quarters in this village at eleven 
o'clock last evening. 

Yesterday, my regiment of dragoons overtook me, and I shall 
retain it by me until we come to Stade, which we shall reach 
by the fifth of March. To-day I shall again have a large dinner 
company. We generally have twelve persons at table. On 
our marching-days we have five, and on our resting-days six 
dishes. Our kitchen expenses average half a louis d'or a day. 

With this letter I send another to little Gustava and Frede- 
rica, whom I embrace tenderly, and with heart and soul am 
ever entirely thine. 



Stade, March 3d, 1776. 

I write you this, it is true, in great weariness, but with a 
joyful heart at the successful embarkation of the dragoon and 
grenadier regiments. At seven o'clock we began to put the 
men on board, and in less than three hours not a single man 
remained in the city — all were upon the Elbe, an hour and a 
half s journey hence. The departure of the boats was one of 
the most beautiful spectacles that can be imagined. All was 
contentment and happiness, and the citizens could not suffi- 
ciently praise the good order in which the embarkation was 
efiected, and the admirable management of the troops daring 
their sojourn in the city. To-morrow, Prince Frederick's 
regiment and mine will arrive, but I do not yet know when 
they will embark, since half of our ships are still missing; 
neither does any one know when they will make their appear- 
ance, as their crews were not ready at the time that those which 
are here, sailed from England. 

I think, also, that I shall remain here at least eight days 
longer. I shall have, however, on board my ship a good offi- 
cer — Captain Foy, whom you will doubtless remember to have 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 21 

seen at Minden. He was formerly an officer in the English 
artillery, and is a very large man. This Foy has an American 
wife who is at present in England. He is desirous to have his 
wife join him in America as soon as it is more quiet, and he 
would be very much pleased if she could accompany you thither, 
but not until he and I know where we are to be stationed. 

This Foy will remain with me until we reach America in 
safety ; for he tells me that our voyage across will be but a 
mere trifle. The ship in which I shall sail from here is the 
Pallas — a very good ship, but having a somewhat small state- 
room for the seven whom I am compelled to have with me. 
Foy assures me, however, that I shall sail from Portsmouth on 
board a man-of-war of large burden. I have to-day examined 
all the ships fit for service that are in this port. 

But enough of myself, dearest wife. Now let me say a word 
to you in whose welfare I am more interested than in my own. 
I hope that you are now entirely recovered from your confine- 
ment, and toward April will be ready to march ! * 



Stade, 31arcU ISth, 1776. 

Dear Wife : Here am I upon the point of embarking, having 
entire trust in the mercy of that God who has lovingly guided 
my steps up to the present time. Do not let this news give 
you uneasiness, for, believe me, one can have a right good time 
onboard a ship. I have very good company; and when I 
arrive off the English coast, and have been transferred to a 
man-of-war, my situation will be still more pleasant. 

It is therefore decided, that you are to go to Plymouth as 
soon as your health and that of our newly born little daughter 



* Or perhaps more literally " in marching trim." Thi.s playful and sprightly allu- 
Bion to his own profession is entirely lost in the translation of 1827, where the passage 
is tamely rendered, "I hope you will be ready for the voj'age." This, however, ia 
only one out of innumerable instances in which that translation, as stated in the 
preface, signally fails to convey the sjnrit of the original. 



22 LETTEBS AND J0UBNAL8 

Caroline, will permit ; and that you will there await the news 
of my arrival in America. Be not impatient. God loves us 
too well not to bring us together again as soon as practicable. 

My brother will dine with me to-morrow, and then all will 
be over. I look forward to it with deep melancholy. Embrace 
our children, yes, our dear children for me. The ship awaits 
me. Love me always. Take care of your precious health for 
my sake, and be assured that I am ever wholly thine. 



On Board the Pallas, March 21.s^, 1776. 

Here we are still quietly lying before Stade, in consequence 
of contrary winds ; we must therefore have patience. Never- 
theless we shall to-day noon proceed to Fryburg, which is not 
far from Grltickstadt, where we shall wait for more favorable 
winds to carry us out to sea, and across to England. Mean- 
while we are quite content. Your presence only is necessary to 
complete my happiness, for I confess that I have the greatest 
longing to see you once more. 

For your amusement, and that you may see how we pass 
away our time, I, herewith, send my journal. 

First then, we have a state-room almost as large as your 
sitting-room. Upon both sides are two small cabins, in one of 
which is my bed, and in the other that of Captain Foy. In the 
state-room itself, on both sides, are fixed four beds, in which 
sleep Captains Hensch, Gerlach, and Cleve, and the captain of 
the horse, Fricke. The cashier, the keeper of the military- 
chest, and the secretary, are in that part of the ship reserved 
for the soldiers, a private state-room having been put up espe- 
cially for them. 

I rise about seven o'clock in the morning, after having said 
my prayers in bed. We dress ourselves quickly, and breakfast 
after the English fashion upon tea and bread and butter. Then 
I go upon deck to smoke my pipe. After that I write or read, 
drink my coiFee, walk up and down with both the Englishmen, 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 23 

and with one or two pipes more pass away my time until two 
o'clock when we have dinner. We have nine persons at table, 
have three dishes, and eat nearly an hour. Then the table 
cloth is taken off, and we spend nearly half or three-quarters of 
an hour drinking different healths as follows : First, the king ; 
second, the duke ; third, yours and the children ; fourth, Cap- 
tain Foy's wife ; fifth, a good sea-voyage ; and sixth, a successful 
expedition in America. At four o'clock, all is finished. Four 
bottles of wine are consumed daily, together with half a bottle 
of arrack * for punch. Afterwards I drink coffee with the 
Englishmen. The remaining gentlemen provide for themselves. 
After coffee I visit the other vessels ; and in the evening play 
a rubber of whist. At half-past eight cold meat is brought 
on — also wine for whoever will drink, and beer — and at ten 
fjo' clock all of us go to bed, and in this manner one day after 
another passes by. 

Captain Foy goes from Dover to London to report himself to 
the king, and will rejoin me at Portsmouth. Upon his arrival 
there, I shall be transferred to a man-of-war, where every thing 
will be more agreeably arranged for my comfort. 

Greneral Gage returned from America in this ship, at which 
time it had eight small state-rooms, an apartment for the gene- 
ral, and a dining room ; all of which will be again fitted up. 
O But of all this you shall hear in detail from me at Portsmouth, 
as also of the condition of things in America, and of the safest 
and quickest way for us again to see each other. 



On Board the Pallas, March 22d, 1776, on the open sea 

at the Red Ton, where the pilots leave the ships. 

Here we are upon the open sea. The pilots are about taking 

their departure, and, through them I write you my last letter 

from the extreme limits of Gerinany. Fear nothing; we are 



* I. e., spirituous liquor distilled from rice. 



24 LETTERS AXD JOVRXALS 

all very well, and I hope we shall make the entire passage- 
across to Spithead safely, and, once accustomed to the broad 
sea, reach America in perfect health. 

Toy promises that I shall be off the heights of Spithead on 
Wednesday at the latest ; and the first thing of which I shall 
think, will be to inform you of our arrival and of the state of 
my health. 



On Board the Pallas, opposite 
Dover, March 2m, 1776. 

I write you the instant we come in sight of the English coast. 
Captain Foy, who goes to London, will post this letter from 
that city. I mention to you with satisfaction that I have not 
been unwell a moment ; still less have I been sea-sick ; but, on 
the contrary, have had a good appetite and good sleep the whole 
time. The soldiers, however, and also my servants, have mostly 
all been sick and yet remain so. The poor cook is so bad that 
he cannot do the least work, indeed, he cannot even raise his 
head. This is very inconvenient, since Captain Foy and my- 
self are obliged to attend to the cooking, which would amuse 
you could you see us. 

I will now give you a brief account of our voyage. Thursday, 
we sailed from Stade to Fryburg It was a magnificent specta- 
cle to see the beautiful villages upon both banks of the stream. 
Gliickstadt, a fine Danish fortress, we left upon our right. We 
were in fine spirits, ate and drank heartily, and played whist in 
the evening. 

Friday, we made sail for Ritzebiittel or Cashaven, where we 
hove to at evening in order to laud and see the city, and play a 
ruber of whist. 

Saturday we went to sea with a very gentle wind. We, how- 
ever, hardly believed that we were at sea. We were all well 
and eat with great appetite. From the Red Ton, where the 
Hauovoriau pilots left us I wrote you my last letter. In the 



OF MRS. GEXEHAL RIEDESEL. 25 

afternoon, fishermen from Helgoland came on board, and I 
bought, for two thalers,* a large codfish, twenty haddocks, and 
four flounders, which I could not have obtained in Brunswick 
for ten thalers. Kainy weather now came on. 

Sunday morning we had a heavy fog, and the sea became 
boisterous. Two guns were fired from our ship to indicate to 
i\\Q other vessels the route for them to take. The fog now 
lifted, the wind and the waves rose, but still there was no storm. 
Now all were sick. The cook could not cook. Miiller could 
not dress me. Valentine could find nothing. To sum up, 
great lamentation and great blundering arose on all sides. 
Hungry, I had nothing to eat. Finally, Captain Foy and my- 
self cooked a pea soup in the sailor's kitchen, and eat cold roast 
beef, which made up our whole dinner. The soldiers eat 
nothing. 

Monday the weather was somewhat milder, and some of the 
people became better, though most of them remained sick. 
Captain Foy and I once more cooked a portable bouillon soup, 
a cod with anchovy sauce, a ragout from roast beef, and a piece 
of roast veal with potatoes. 

Tuesday we had the most beautiful weather in the world, 
and a few of the people became again well. The soldiers cooked 
for themselves, but the cook still could do nothing. Foy and 
myself, therefore, again did the cooking. We had rice soup, 
yellow turnips with beef, codfish with anchovy sauce, and a 
ragout of veal. From a distance one could see laud. 

To-day, Wednesday, we are opposite Dover. Captain Foy 
goes from us and takes this letter with him. Dearest angel, 
remember that every one may be sick upon the water ; conse- 
quently, you will have very little help from your servants. 
You must, therefore, choose the shortest route to England. I 
think the best one will be by way of Calais. 

Captain Foy says that if Quebec is still ours, and there is no 



A thaler is seventy-five cents of American money. 

4 



26 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

American army this side of Montreal, not only he, but General 
Carleton, also, will have his wife join him. You must posi- 
tively not set out on your jovirney before they do — then you 
can accompany them and travel with more safety, as you will 
have company and attendance, and want for nothing. 



On Board the Pallas, in the harbor of 
Portsmouth, March 2St?i, 1776. > 

You see, dear wife, that I let slip no opportunity to give you 
news from me. Here we are happily arrived in the harbor of 
Plymouth, and I am on the point of going into the city to pay 
a visit to Admiral Douglas and the other generals who, like 
ourselves, are here for the purpose of embarking for America. 
Our servants are again well, and the cook has returned to my 
employ to the great benefit of my stomach. You cannot 
imagine a more beautiful spectacle than that which we had 
early yesterday morning at six o'clock, when we were so near 
to Calais that we could distinguish every house, while at the 
same time and from the same spot we could see the city of Dover 
on the English coast. At nine o'clock Foy left us to go to 
London, and, during the entire day, we sailed along the Eng- 
lish coast, and had every instant a view of a new town. People 
in the fields ploughing, and travelers, all gazed curiously at our 
little fleet. In this manner time passed until evening; after 
which I slept peacefully, and at five o'clock this morning saw 
Portsmouth. By nine o'clock we had anchored; and are now 
on the point of going ashore. 



On Board the Pallas, between Portsmouth 
. and Plymouth, A2ml Qih, 1776. 
Our departure from Plymouth followed sooner than I ex- 
pected ; for the wind having become propitious we immediately 
weighed anchor, and day before yesterday at eleven o'clock 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 27 

in the morning, we were off— thirty sail strong — amid the 
salutes of all our cannon, and those of the fleet that were still 
lying off the harbor of Spithead. Ou the fifth, the wind became 
unfrvorable and remained so until this morning. Now, we go 
with a good wind straight to Plymouth, where, it is true, we 
shall not stop, though I hope to find some means of sending 
this letter into the city. God be praised that he has kept your 
husband so healthy. Several officers, and among them, my 
English adjutant, are already sick; but I am still well, have a 
good appetite, and sleep soundly; and, therefore, hope to remain 
in health until I arrive in America. 

I think this will be the last letter that you will receive from 
me until our arrival in America. Possibly, however, on the 
way over, we may meet with some ship to whose care I can 
entrust a letter, for which opportunity I shall be constantly ou 
the watch. 

There are -still several points upon which I must give you 
advice. Before you leave Brunswick, you must procure letters 
of introduction, in order that when in London, you may procure 
lodgings in a private house, and not at a hotel. Then you will 
be "Ible to make a definite bargain for those days that you may 
remain there, for your lodging, breakfast, dinner and tea. And 
by doing in this manner, you will find yourself much better 
off than if you had stayed at a public house where every 
thing is three times as dear. For example ; for seven days' 
lodging of myself, my two adjutants and our servants, one din- 
ner and seven suppers — the dinner for twelve persons the 
supper for four — I was obliged to pay twenty-two pounds 
sterling, or, in our money one hundred and thirty-two thalers. 

Thife° rule you will be obliged to observe at all places where 
you intend remaining some days. Should you go to Exeter, 
Plymouth or Bristol (in which latter place Madame Foy is), 
you must ascertain, while in London, at what private houses 
you can obtain lodgings. Such private houses, where, for a 
definite sum, you may lodge and board, are plenty in England. 



28 LETTERS AXD JOVRXALS 

I advise you farther, that while in London or elsewhere, you 
examine the class of vessels upon which travelers usually take 
passage, so that you can arrange your plans in reference to your 
sleeping arrangements; for you cannot have with you more 
than one child — the other must sleep with the nurse, and the 
smallest will be obliged to lie in a hammock. 

You must buy in London bouillon-cake, with which, should 
the fresh meat give out. you and the children maj- have a good 
broth. 



On Board the Pallas, April 2-^th, 1776. 

Since the fourth instant — the day of our departure from 
Plymouth — we have sailed upon the great ocean, now with 
good, and now with bad winds; and three times already we 
have had such gales that we came near having a storm. All 
have been sick ; but, thanks to God, I hold out well, with the 
best of health. 

"We have now traveled over five hundred and seven full Ger- 
man miles from Stade, and have yet to make three hundred 
miles before we reach Quebec. In five or six days more, we 
shall, I hope, see the coast of Newfoundland, and shortly 
after arrive in the river Saint Lawrence — when the voyage 
will be more agreeable, and the amount of sea-sickness lessened. 

Dearest, best wife, notwithstanding my love for you and my 
burning desire to see you again as soon as possible, if I had not 
given )'ou my word that you should follow me, or had I known 
the hardships of so long a voyage, I would never have advised 
so lengthy a journey for you, especially with your children. I 
must confess that I tremble when I think of this great under- 
taking ; but my word is given, therefore I must conform to 
circumstances, trusting that God will bestow his blessing upon 
it. 

But for God's sake, do not travel alone, and wait for Madame 
Foy, or some other lady of standing with whom you may embark 



OF MRS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 29 

in tlie same ship. But it must be a lady who has ah-eady made 
the voyage to America, and consequently knows what prepara- 
tions are necessary, and could help and advise you in case you 
or the children were sick. You must remember, dearest wife, 
that you, and your children, and all your domestics may easily 
become sick on the way over, if not constantly, yet during 
strong winds ; for upon my entire ship there are not five men 
who have continued well ; and every one declares that it is a 
regular wonder that I am an exception to the general rule. In 
such a case, you would lie in bed with your children without 
the least help — having nothing to eat or drink — and having, 
moreover, not the least heart to render yourself the slightest 
assistance. The crew of a ship, for the most part, are swine, 
loafers, and clowns, who cook nothing but salted meat half 
dressed, which is not at all fit to eat. One thing more : the 
water will finally become so bad and have such a bad smell, that 
you shall not be able to drink it ; and you must, therefore, 
endeavor to take with you a filtering-stone, through which you 
can strain it. You must, also, either accustom the children to 
drink beer, or boil the water, that you intend to drink, the day 
before. 

My poor cook is almost always sick, which gives me consi- 
derable trouble. There are many days in which we do not know 
how or what to eat. Besides, our fresh meat is all eaten up, 
and at present there is only salt meat and poultry. We shall 
soon begin to kill our sheep. The worst of it is, however, that 
through the sickness of our cook, there is no one to take care 
of the provisions, and consequently one portion of them is 
spoiled, and the other stolen. 

In fact, I must deceive you if I should say that our present 
life was agreeable. The best that can be said is, that, thanks 
to God, I find myself well, by reason of which I am enabled to 
bear with patience all these annoyances. 



30 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 



Ox Board the Pallas, two leagues 
this side of Quebec. 
I can give you no great description of our voyage ; for what 
can I say of nine weeks spent between lieaven and ocean, where 
one day passed away the same as another. Here we are, after 
much hardship, still two miles from Quebec, where we shall 
arrive this evening, but without tarrying. General Carleton 
having, before our arrival, driven the rebels from the vicinity of 
Quebec, and being now engaged in their pursuit. For this 
reason we shall continue our voyage up the river to join 
that general. It is yet too early to give you any advice re- 
specting your journey. Captain Foy thinks that we must first 
see whither the expedition will lead us. I, therefore, say 
nothing further than this — do not travel alone, or without some 
lady of standing, be it Mrs. General Carleton, or Madame Foy, 
or any other lady. I must close, as I shall be obliged to send 
this letter on board the man-of-war, where it will be taken care 
of. As soon as I have joined General Carleton I will write 
you in detail about every thing that has happened, my own 
health, and your journey. 



BET^^'EEX Quebec aa'd 3Ioxteeal, June 8th, 1T76. 

Here, in a few words, is every thing that has happened to me 
since our departure from Quebec on the first of June. We 
arrived off Quebec at six o'clock in the evening. I immediately 
went on shore to visit General Carleton, who welcomed me with 
much courtesy and friendliness, and invited me to dine with 
him on the next day. In order to form an idea of his personal 
appearance, place before you the Abbe Jerusalem ; the figure, 
countenance, carriage and tone of voice, all precisely the same ; 
and give him a black gown and a wig, no one would be able to 
tell the difference. 

The second of June, after dining with General Carleton, I 



OF MBS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 3I 

saw the rebel prisoners. In the evening I paid a visit to Com- 
modore Douglas who commands the fleet, and who, upon my 
departure, saluted me with thirteen discharges of cannon. 

The third, my birthday, I spent on board my ship. The 
order which I received from General Carleton — to leave my 
dragoon and Prince Frederick's regiment in garrison at Que- 
bec — did not seem to me entirely just. Captain Foy was 
appointed adjutant-general and secretary to General Carleton. 

On the fourth, as it was the birthday of the king of England, 
I waited with my whole body of officers upon the general to 
offer our congratulations. Salutes Vere fired from the fortress 
and all the vessels, and afterward we had a ball. 

The fifth, General Carleton bestowed upon me the command 
of a separate corps. This I did not expect, and it has created 
great surprise. 

The sixth, as there was a favorable wind, I was dismissed by 
General Carleton, and sailed with my allotted corps. Here am 
I, therefore, at the present time of writing, upon Lake Cham- 
plain; bat rest perfectly easy so far as regards the enemy. 
They have wholly disappeared; and we have not seen a single 
soul of them this side of Lake Champlaiu. 

Dear soul, no place would be more comfortable for you than 
Quebec. You can, however, go conveniently to Montreal, and 
there await news from me, in order that you may know in 
which direction to follow us. In Montreal there is a very well 
managed post, so that you can very easily go upon land from 
one place to another ; and I will make such arrangements that 
you shall find every thing comfortable for you on your arrival 
in that city. The land in this country will please you uuieh : 
all of it that meets the eve is beautiful. 



La Prairie, June 2Sth, 1776. 
I have recently given you a detailed account of our arrival 
at Quebec. From there we went to Tliree Piivers, where I, as 



32 LETTERS AXD JOVEXALS 

well as all the generals, arrived too late for the affair which 
happened in that place. Thence we advanced farther with 
the ships, and landed at Vergere. Our march thus far has 
been tiresome, but now we have rest.* My entire equipage 
has arrived, and we live well, but dearly. Our table usually 
consists of from ten to twelve persons, with six dishes ; but I am 
not able to maintain such an establishment for less than two 
guineas a day. A bottle of wine costs a thaler of our money. 
I am here alone with all the German troops. It seems that 
General Carleton wishes me well. He marks me out for parti- 
cular favor ; and if things gx) on in this way I shall have reason 
to be well contented. I hope this business will not last long. 
We have already conquered the whole of Canada, and shall, as 
soon as the boats are in readiness, force our way into New Eng- 
land by way of Lake Champlain, where are all the rebels, and 
also General Howe, who, it is said, has already obtained some 
advantages over them. When you are once here, I will try and 
manage to take you comfortably back in my ship, where you will 
fare better, as I am now somewhat accustomed to a sea voyage, and 
for that reason know hovv to remedy many evils that are in- 
separably connected with a ship. 

In case you undertake the journey, you will find in Quebec, 
Lieutenant-Colonel Baum with the dragoons, who has already 
taken paius to procure good quarters for you. You will then 
write me at ouce, and rest for a few days at Quebec. Tlien 
proceed to Three Rivers, where you will find comfortable quar- 



*lSrot only was the march very fatiguing, but, as the heat of the sun increased, 
many of the German troops, under Kiedesel's command, tell sick ; so that by the 
middle of July, upward of three hundred of the Brunswickers were lying ill either 
in the military hospital or at private houses. Most of them suffered from a violent 
diarrhea accompanied by fever, brought on by the sudden changes of temperature 
of the climate — warm days and cold nights — to which they were wholly unaccus- 
tomed. General Riedesel greatly endeared himself to his men at this juncture, by 
taking the utmost care of all of them, but especially the sick. He, also, made 
strenuous efforts to procure for them wholesome food ; and as supplies were not 
easily obtained, he caused the inhabitants to open a market twice a week at La 
Prairie, where fresh provisions could be had with some regularity. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 33 

ters iu the liouse in wliicli General Carleton at one time resided. 
This town is thirty leagues from Quebec, and when there, you 
are thirty leagues from Montreal, where you will either see me 
myself or find farther instructions from me. You will find 
the country here magnificent, only it is a pity that the colonies 
are still in their infancy, since one can very seldom find vege- 
tables, fruits, and such things as belong to a good table. Meat, 
fowls and milk, however, one can have in abundance. The 
houses are all only one story high, but within, have four 
rooms and are very cleanly. An ordinary peasant's house 
will afford our entire family accommodations. The inhabitants 
are exceedingly courteous and obliging, and I do not believe 
that our peasants, under similar circumstances, would conduct 
themselves as satisfactorily. I have no news to tell you. We 
are here very quiet. General Carleton, with part of the army, 
is at Chambly ; General Frazer is at St. John ) and I am here, 
and travel through the country to make mj^self acquainted with 
the lay of the land. I eat my dinner every day at three o'clock ; 
generally go to bed rather tired; and at three or four o'clock 
in the morning am again upon the highway. Fully four weeks 
will elapse before we pass through Lake Champlain. 



La Savanne, Sept. 12th, 1776. 
The army is encamped for the purpose of remaining nearer 
together. I am posted very advantageously at a place called 
Savanne, where I command a separate corps. I have there- 
fore plenty of exercise, which I find very conducive to my 
health. The nights are beginning to be a little cold, and we 
already think and speak of winter-quarters, into which I think 
we shall withdraw in the month of October. What comfort 
would it be for me, if I could then quietly enjoy the society of 
yourself and my children. Truly that would be worth more to 
me than all else. But where may yoa now be ! Perhaps on 
the broad sea; perhaps in great peril. During how many 
5 



34 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

nights is my mind filled with such cares for your welfare ! I 
hope that God will soon end my anguish, and grant me the joy 
of seeing you in my arms. The fourth of this month, after 
exercising my troops, I gave to General Carleton and the prin- 
cipal officers of the army a great dinner of thirty-six covers 
and twenty-six plates served twice. All seemed pleased. I 
did it in honor of my lord and his troops ; and the effect of it 
has been good, for I have made friends of every one, and stand 
well with all the officers and men. 



In Camp at La Savanne, Sept. 2M, 1776. 
At last, dear wife, I have received your letters of the 9th, 
20th, and 30th of April, and 12th of May. All these letters 
have given me great comfort, and I have thanked God from 
the bottom of my heart, that you and the children are so well. 
I as heartily embrace you and the children. It has also given 
me pleasure to have this news confirmed by a gentleman just 
from England; and I thank Providence who has so blessed 
your journey. I know, dear wife, that you arrived in London 
safely on the 12th ; that about the 18th, you had gone to Bris- 
tol; and that you and the children found yourselves well. 
O'Connel, whom Colonel Specht sent to London, himself spoke 
with the landlord of the hotel where you lodged, and you had 
set out for Bristol only three hours before his arrival. I do 
not direct this letter to England, but entrust it to the first ship 
that goes from here, in order that its captain, in case he falls 
in with you on his way over, may give it to you, and quiet and 
rejoice your heart with the news of my perfect health. You 
will find at Mrs. Murray's all needful information for your 
farther guidance. I shall have my winter-quarters at Three 
Rivers, where you may quietly await my return. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 35 



Ckown Point, on Board the Wasliington, a prize 
taken from the rebels, Oct. 26, 1776. 
We have destroyed the fleet of the rebels, and taken posses- 
sion of Crown Point. We shall now go into winter-quarters.* 
Our campaign is at an end; and I shall go back to Three 
Rivers, where I am to be stationed this winter, and await you 
with the greatest impatience. Oh how bappy I should be if 
you came this winter and I could enjoy your pleasant society ! 
The winter-quarters will be very quiet, and I should be able to 
live entirely for you. General Carleton, like a hero, bas routed 
the enemy's fleet, having left behind him his whole army. He 
has very properly spared those that are married ; and if this war 
is carried on in a similar manner next year, I shall be surer of my 
life in the midst of it, than upon the parade grounds of Wolf- 
enbiittel and Brunswick. If you are at sea. General Burgoyne, 
who is the bearer of this letter, will do his utmost to have it 
delivered to you upon the ocean ; but if you are still in Eng- 
land he will take pains to procure you a good ship next spring, 
and in this case it is only necessary for you to apply to him by 
letter. I am here for six days as a volunteer. We have been 



* The wintcr-qnarters of the Germans were in and around Three Rivers, as far 
down as Chambly, on the western side of Lake St. Pierre, and between the St. 
Lawrence and the Richelieu. The more special divisions were as follows ; The 
regiment of Specht as far down as Champlaiu, near Three Rivers, and the place 
called Batiscamp ; the regiment of Rhetz from the last named place to Fort St. 
Anna. These regiments sent off detachments to the parishes south of the St. 
Lawrence. The dragoons and regiments of Riedesel were quartered in Three 
Rivers. Two squadrons of the former, and three companies of the latter, had the 
town assigned to them. The two other squadrons were transferred to Cape-de-la- 
Madelaine, the two other companies to Point-du-Lac. The regiments were also 
obliged to send detachments to the nearest parishes on the other side of the St. 
Lawrence. The regiment of Hesse-Hanau was removed to the parishes of Berthier 
and Masquinonge. It, also, sent out detachments to occupy St. Francois and 
Sorel. The regiment of Prince Frederick occupied the parishes of Riviere-du-Loup, 
and Machiche. The grenadier battallion was quartered in St. Charies, St. Denis, 
and St. Tours. Earner's light infantry were sent to Buloville and Chambly, where 
it was joined by the company of sharp-shooters. The artillery of Hauau was quar- 
tered in Montreal. 



3(5 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

in close proximity to the camp of tlie rebels at Fort Carillon, 
and have taken some prisoners. 



■ Three Kivers, Nov. 10, 1776. 

I have little more hope of seeing you here this winter ; there- 
fore, I write you this letter in order that if you still remain in 
England, you may not be without news from me. 

I find myself, thanks to God, well, but in great anxiety about 
your welfare, as I know not where you are. Yet I shall not 
murmur, if you do not come, although I should have taken 
much comfort in seeing you here. God, who governs all things 
according to his wise will, has, perhaps, saved you from any 
misfortune. The uncertainty as to your whereabouts at this 
late season of the year, gives me the most anxiety. I must 
now bring this to a close, as the post is about starting for Que- 
bec, and commend you to the guidance and protection of a 
kind Providence. I embrace you and our dear children, and 
coax myself into the belief that you will certainly come next 
spring. 



Letters from Mrs. General Riedesel to her Jlother. 

WoLFENBiiTTEL, March 8, 1776. 
Dearest, best Mother : Your last letter has made me almost 
beside myself. Some passages in it would seem to indicate 
that you do not feel kindly toward me, and others again show 
so much anxiety and love, that it makes me right sick to be 
forced for the first time willingly to disobey you. Believe me, 
however, that if any thing could have ipade me hesitate, it 
would be the happiness of seeing you at my house. But I 



OF MBS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 37 

understood myself in this matter, and knew how hard it would 
be for me to go from you and refuse you any thing, and there- 
fore, I forbore, in my last letter before this, to beg you to come 
to me. I could not endure the thought of separating myself 
from you, especially for so long a time ; and yet, the thought 
that you begged me — nay, commanded me to remain here, 
made me shudder. Yet to remain, when the best, the tenderest 
of husbands allowed me to follow him, would have been im- 
possible. Duty, love and conscience forbade it. It is the duty 
of a wife to leave all and follow her husband. My love for 
him is known to you, as well as his for me and the children. 



WOLFENBiiTTEL, May 3, 1776. 
If you could only know how rejoiced I am to see by your 
letter that you begin to be more reconciled to my journey! I 
have now the satisfaction of knowing that every one approves 
of my having followed the dictates of duty. Yes, I travel with 
the most confident assurance that God, who knows my inner- 
most heart, and to whom, therefore, my intentions are known, 
will watch over and preserve me and the children from harm. 
The only thing that worries me, dear, kind mother, is, leaving 
you behind; but I hope that it will not be for long, for perhaps, 
God may soon grant peace, and then we may be able to pass 
our days more quietly. God gives his blessing to all. In the 
meantime pray to him for ourselves and our children, and every 
thing will prosper with us. On my part, my most ardent 
wishes and fervent prayers shall daily arise to God that he will 
preserve you, most worthy mother, and cause the remainder of 
your days to pass away happily. Preserve your love for us 
alwaj'S, and we shall ever love and venerate you. Have the 
kindness to write me once more and assure me of your love. 
If you write immediately, I can receive your letter at this place 
before I set out on my joui'ney, which, if we all remain well, 
will be toward the 13th of this month,. I beg that you will 



38 LETTERS AXD JOURNALS 

address your next letters to Bristol, wliere I shall await verbal 
instructions from my husband. 



Mrs. General RkdeseVs Account of her Journey from 
Wolfenhilttel to Bristol. 

I set out on my journey, on the 14th of May, at five o'clock 
in the morning from "Wolfenbiittel ; and notwithstanding my 
passionate longing to see my husband once more, I still felt the 
greatness of my undertaking too much not to have a heavy 
heart, especially as my friends had not ceased to repeat to me 
the dangers to which I exposed myself. Gustava, my eldest 
daughter, was four years and nine months old ; Frederica, my 
second, two years ; and Caroline, my youngest child, just ten 
weeks old. I had, therefore, need of all my courage and all my 
tenderness to keep me from relinquishing my unprecedented 
wish to follow my husband. They represented to me not only 
the perils of the sea, but told me, also, that we were in danger 
(of being eaten by the savages, and that the people in America 
lived upon horse-flesh and catsTl Yet all this frightened me 
less than the thought of going into a country where I could not 
understand the language. However, I was prepared for every 
thing ; and the thought of following my husband and of doing 
my duty, has kept me in good spirits during my whole journey. 

At our first stopping place, my good old Rockel said to me 
with a confident manner, as he lifted the children out of the 
carriage, "See how God blesses our journey; our children are 
looking much better ! " This Rockel had been with us eight 
years, when my father gave him the place of forester. As soon as 
he heard of the departure of my husband, and that I was to follow 
him, he left every thing in the lurch in order to accompany me 



OF MB&. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 39 

as a footman; * and during our whole journey, he has showed 
all of us the greatest attachment and attention, especially for 
the children, whom he made it his duty to carry and take care 
of. In a tavern where I stopped the first noon, I came across a 
very rude landlord. While the horses were feeding I ordered 
a beer soup, for which I was obliged to pay ten groschen.'j" 
Upon my complaining of this charge as being too much,, he 
answered me very snappishly that I must pay it, and that I 
could have stayed away if I had wished. He further added 
that he might be uncivil, but I would meet with still more un- 
civil ones, to whom I should be obliged to pay six times as 
much — a delightful encouragement for me who had intended 
to live very frugally! In Maestricht they warned me to be on 
my guard, as the roads had become very insecure by reason of 
(liighwaymen, one hundred and thirty of whom, within the last 
fortnight, had been executed, part by hanging, and part in an- 
other manner. But this number is not the fourth part of those 
still at large, who, when caught, will be strung up without fur- 
ther process, on the highway — on the very spot where they are 
found practising their profession. This news threw me into a 
great fright, and I determined not to travel by night. But as 
I had received very bad horses, I was obliged to pass through 
a forest at twilight. Suddenly, some object hanging in the air 
struck me through the open window of my carriage. There- 
upon I seized it; and, as I felt something rough, I asked what 
it might be. ^It was the body of a hanged man with woolen 
stockings ;! Though thoroughly frightened at this adventure, 
my terror became even greater when, presently, we stopped 
before a house standing wholly alone in this same wood — the 
postillions refusing to go a step farther. The place was called 

* In the origiual the word is yager. The primary meaning of this word is, a 
hunter, but when used in this connection, a xfiiger answers precisely to the English 
word tigei\ that is, a liveried footman. 

tA groschen is a fraction over three cents of American money— twenty-four of 
which make a Prassiau thaler, or about seventy-five cents, as mentioned in a pre- 
ceding note. 



40 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

Hune. I shall never forget it ! A man of quite a suspicious 
appearance received us, and conducted us into a very remote 
room, in wliicli I found only one bed. It was cold, and I had, 
therefore, a fire made in a great chimney. Our entire supper 
consisted of tea and coarse bread. My faithful Rock el came to 
me with a very anxious countenance and said : " Things are 
not right in this place ; there is a room full of arms, and I be- 
lieve the most of the band are absent, and are surely robbers. 
But I shall sit during the night before the door of your room, 
with my fire-arms, and sell my life dear. The other servant 
shall sit in the coach also with his fire-arms. All this naturally 
gave me an unquiet night's rest. I seated myself upon a stool 
and laid my head upon my bed. However, I finally slept ; and, 
how great was my joy on awakening, when, at four o'clock in 
the morning, they came to tell me that every thing was ready 
for our departure ! il thereupon put my head out of the window, 
and saw in the wood, where we were, a great number of night- 
ingales, which, by their sweet singing, made me forget all my 
previous terror. My entire journey, however, was very pros- 
perous. I passed through Brussels, Tournay, and St. Omer, 
where I arrived on the 31st of May at one o'clock in the after- 
noon. Between Tournay and St. Omer I passed a town called 
Cassel, where there is a mountain which I visited. From the 
summit, one could see thirty-two towns, exclusive of hamlets. 
It is one of the most beautiful prospects that can be imagined. 
Upon my arrival at Calais, I immediately sent for the captain 
of a ship, with whom I made arrangements for our passage over 
to England. I took, accoi'diug to advice, a packet-boat for us 
all, in order to be more comfortable, but left my carriage behind, 
as they told be that in Dover one was obliged to pay a fine of 
thirty, or even sixty guineas on a coach brought into England 
from a foreign country. I was forced to remain two days in 
Calais on account of contrary winds. Finally, I was summoned 
on board the ship. I confess my heart beat a little. Both my 
oldest children were in fine spirits, for in order to increase their 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 4X 

courage I liad promised tliem that ttey should see their father 
after we had crossed the channel. I pretended to be very 
courageous in order to dispel all their fears. We were driven 
to the shore, whence the boatmen, taking up the two eldest 
children, carried them on board the ship. I had the youngest 
in my arms. The servants followed me on foot. I looked 
around me for the children, and found, to my great astonish- 
ment, that they were already on board the ship, playing among 
the sailors. I had the little one, also, lifted on board ; and 
now my heart having a magnet, I found it not so bad as I had 
imagined. K plank was thrown across from the shore to the 
ship, over which I walked with firm steps. The ship was 
handsome and clean, which at once relieved me of all fear. 
The sailors, also, appeared contented. I had a love of a cabin 
in which were eight beds. All of its furniture was of mahogany 
and brass, and so highly polished that one could see himself in 
it. I was told that my children and myself had better lay our- 
selves on the beds; but there was no air below and we accordingly 
went above upon deck and ate and drank with an excellent 
appetite. My daughter, little Frederica, became so well ac- 
quainted with the sailors, that when she wished to go up or 
down, she always called out " Husband ! your arm!" These 
people are very fond of children, and know well how to wait upon 
them. One of them was in the habit of taking up little Caro- 
line, carrying her about, and taking care of her. fit was very 
droll to see him, a large, brown complexioned fellow, with a little 
child constantly laughing at him. We all remained well. The 
captain assured us that he had not had in a long time such a 
favorable wind, which, though pretty strong, was yet from a 
right direction. In five hours we were across. As the ebb of the 
tide would have prevented our landing before eight or nine hours, 
we seated ourselves in a little ship and were on land in six 
minutes. ^^My inmost heart was stirred with gratitude toward 
God, who had so happily assisted us across, and was also full of 
the thought, " You will bring your children in health to your 
6 



42 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

husband." They now were determined to have their father, 
which troubled me greatly. I beguiled them, however, by sayiug 
that we must embark once more. But now they teazed me 
continually and jumped up whenever they saw a ship. As soon 
as we landed at Dover we received many congratulations upon 
having accomplished so long a journey ; but this cost us money. 
More than thirty innkeepers came to me and begged that I 
would be pleased to put up with them. I made choice of a 
French inn, and found the accommodations very good. It was, 
in truth, a magnificent hotel, and every thing about it was most 
remarkably clean. The custom house officer came to search my 
baggage, which is very troublesome, but I had letters addressed 
to him ; and as soon as he heard that I desired to follow my 
husband to America, he very gallantly said that it would be cruel 
to worry the wife of a general who had gone to that land for 
the service of the king. And thus I came out all right. As 
I had been obliged to leave my carriage at Calais, I was forced 
to take a stage-coach from here to London, which was very 
expensive, since the baggage was charged for by the pound. 

I arrived at London on the evening of the 1st of June, and 
found there many people whom I knew, among others. General 
SchliefFen, M. de Kurtzleben and Count Taube. My husband 
had written to the latter, and begged him to secure for me 
private quarters ; but through fear that I might not come, he 
had omitted to do so — otherwise I would have had better and 
cheaper accommodations. Nevertheless, I was delighted to sec 
such evidence of how much my husband had my voyage at 
heart, and how little he doubted that I would carry out my 
plan. I, therefore, rejoiced the more at not having allowed 
myself to be deterred from my journey. I must, however, 
mention a circumstance which, on my first arrival in London, ex- 
ercised an unfavorable influence upon the quality of my lodgings. 

I relied entirely upon my landlord at Calais, to whom I had 
been recommended ; but I now believe that he abused my confi- 
dence, by taking advantage of it to convey over to England 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 43 

many tilings at my expense. He said to me, also, that lie should 
advise me to take with us a trusty man for our protection, with- 
out whom I would run a great risk. He, therefore, pretended 
to take great pains to find me such a one, and at length brought 
me an extremely well dressed man, whom he introduced to me 
as a nobleman, and a very good friend of his, who would, with 
pleasure, accompany me to London. I treated him with great 
civility, not knowing how I should sufficiently acknowledge so 
great kindness. I made the children sit opposite to me in order 
that he might have a comfortable seat; and, during the whole 
journey, endeavored to manage so that they should not trouble 
him. He gave himself, also, the manners of a man of conse- 
quence, and ate with me during the entire journey. I noticed, 
it is true, that the servants, in the different inns on the route, 
made themselves very intimate with him, but I did not think 
much of it at the time, as the gratitude, under which I sup- 
posed I was to him, closed my eyes. As soon as we arrived in 
Loudon I asked for a good room, but how great was my 
astonishment when they conducted me into a very wretched 
apartment in the the fourth story. I supposed, however,, that 
all the other rooms were already occupied, since Mr. de Forence 
had assured me in Brunswick, that I should have magnificent 
lodgings. General Schliefi'en and many others who came to 
call on me, especially three ladies to whom I had brought letters 
of introduction from the hereditary princess (at that time 
duchess of Brunswick), were surprised to find me in such 
miserable quarters. The following day my landlord came to 
me with a thoroughly ashamed air, and very respectfully asked 
whether I knew the man with whom I had arrived, and whom 
I had requested him to entertain well — for I had not thought 
it exactly the thmg to have him take his meals with me in 
London. I told him that he was a nobleman, who, at the 
request of Mr, Guildhaudin, my landlord in Calais, had been 
so courteous as to escort me on my journey. " Ah I " answered 
he, " this is one of his tricks. He is a vaJct de 2>lace and a 



44 LETTERS AND JOUBXALS 

great swindler, wliom lie has brought here for his own purposes ; 
and as I saw you sitting in the carriage with this man on your 
arrival, I confess that I did not believe you were what you 
pretended to be, and therefore judged that these rooms would 
be good enough for you. Since these people have been to call 
on you, however, I see how greatly mistaken I have been. I 
therefore beg your forgiveness, and entreat you to take another 
room, for which you shall not pay more than for this one here, 
for I very much wish to rectify my mistake." I thanked him 
and begged that he would free me from this man as soon as 
possible. He asked me, nevertheless, five or six guineas (I 
forget exactly how much it was) for his escort. I can never 
forget this trick of Mr. Gruildhaudin, who, by the way, made 
use of my carriage for his own private speculative purposes. 
He told me that I would have to leave it behind, as I would 
not be allowed to bring it into England ; but I afterwards 
learned that he probably wished to hire it to travelers on their 
way to Germany, as he had often done this same thing with 
other carriages entrusted to his care. But in this calculation 
he was disappointed ; for as soon as I arrived in London, I 
wrote to the minister, Lord North, who immediately gave me 
permission to have the carriage brought to London free of all 
duty. This, it is true, detained me quite a little while ; but, at 
the same time, added much to my comfort and convenience. 

When I arrived in Loudon, my eyes had suftcred so much 
from having become overheated during my journey, that one of 
them became very much inflamed, and filled with considerable 
proud flesh. General Schlieften desired me earnestly to consult 
an oculist, and brought me the one who attended the queen. 
He appeared frightened at the condition in which he found my 
eye, but at once gave me hope of his being able to efiect a cure. 
He put some kind of a powder into a quill, and requested me 
to open my eye wide, which I did very confidently, not having 
any idea of the pain that awaited me. He then poured the 
whole powder iuto the eye, that it might eat away the proud 



OF MES. GENEEAL EIEDESEL. 45 

flesh. The paiu I endured is indescribable ; and since then I 
have never been able to bring myself to submit to this experi- 
ment; for whenever I attempted it, my eyes involuntarily 
closed themselves. However, it did me a great deal of good. 
The oculist, nevertheless, gave still another prescription ; and 
I was obliged to pay him three guineas, which did not seem to 
me entirely right. General Schlieffeu, however, told me that 
I could not give him less, as he was the queen's oculist. 

(1 resided, while in London, in Suffolk street, and found every 
thing very dear. As I had intended remaining only two days, 
I made no agreement, but after eight days I had my bill brought 
to me. I took a few rides around the city, but not long ones, on 
account of little Caroline, whom I nursed myself. I determined, 
however, to see every thing on my return. Still I was twice in St. 
James's park, and saw the king and queen, who were quite near 
me in their sedans. The park is a most lovely place for walking ; 
more than five and six thousand persons come here daily. 

One day I had quite a disagreeable adventure in London. 
My friends had advised me to buy a little cloak and hat, without 
which I could not walk out., I had been dining with M. de 
Hinliber, the Hanoverian minister. His wife proposed that 
we should take a walk to St. James's, but neglected to tell me 
that a part of our dress was not in keeping with the English 
fashion. Little Gustava was dressed in the French style, with 
a little hooped petticoat, and a pretty, round hat. I noticed 
that most every one pointed at us with the finger, and inquired 
of Madame Hiniiber the cause. She repliedtthat I had a fan, 
which people never carried with a hat, and that my attire was 
too dressy, which caused us to be taken for French women, 
who were not very popular in London. The following day I 
went out again ; and, as we were all of us dressed throughout in the 
English fashioa, I thought that we would not be specially noticed. 
But I was mistaken, for I again heard the cry — " French women ! 
pretty girl I " I asked our valet dej^Iacc why they called us French 
women, and was informed that it was on account of my having 



46 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 

put ribbons upon my cliildreu. (l tore tliem off and put tliem 
in my pocket, but they only stared at me tlie more ; and I tlien 
discovered that it was on account of the hats which English 
children wore differently shaped. I learned from this the 
necessity of conforming to the ftishions of the country if one 
would live pleasantly, for a mob is soon collected, and if one en- 
gages in an altercation with it he subjects himself to insults. 

My plan was to go to Bristol, and there await an opportunity 
to go to America. It is true that all those to whom I had been 
recommended advised me against this course, because there I 
would not have such a good chance to obtain news, and hear of 
a ship sailing ; but my husband had strongly counseled me to 
go there, and I did not wish to act contrary to his instructions. 
I accordingly set out from London on the tenth of June, and 
arrived in Bristol upon the eleventh. I had no sooner stopped 
before the inn, than the mob gathered round and stared at the 
droll appearance of my carriage (to which were attached Ger- 
man steps), and at the two muskets that my servants had securely 
fastened under the traveling box. They fingered them over, 
and also raised the oil-cloth cover of my carriage to see how it 
was painted. My servant, who could only speak a few words in 
English, instead of sitting quietly without speaking, began to 
call them names, and was paid back in his own coin. Upon this 
he lost all control of himself, and knocked one of them down by 
a blow under the ear. Immediately the entire crowd pitched 
on to him, and there is no telling what might have happened 
had not the mayor — who was the chief magistrate of the place 
and the uncle of Mrs. Foy — arrived on the scene at the very 
nick of time. I had written to Mrs. Foy begging her to pro- 
cure me quarters, and the mayor's arrival, at this time, was in 
consequence of my having sent for him, on ray first coming into 
the place, to direct me to them. This venerable old man went 
off immediately for his niece, with whom I could converse a 
little in French, and with whom I drove to my lodgings. These 
were very fine and spacious, but wci"e, also, very dear. 



SOJOURIS^ AT BRISTOL, PORTSMOUTH AND 
LONDON, AND EMBARKATION. 



I discovered, soon after my arrival in Bristol, how unpleasant 
it is to be in a city wlien one does not understand the language. 
My servants had lost all heart, and I was obliged to conceal from 
them how badly I myself felt. I wept for hours in my chamber, 
until, finally, I gathered courage and resolved to surmount all 
difficulties. ^ took great pains to learn the English language, 
and in six weeks made such progress as to be able to call for 
what I wanted, and to understand the newspapers, which, at 
this time, were very interesting, particularly those articles that 
related to Quebec, where my husband was stationed. 

I was soon obliged to change my lodgings. (My landlady 
would not allow me to have the least washing done for the 
children. I took up my residence, therefore, in another dwell- 
ing, from which I had a very beautiful prospect. I overlooked 
the whole College Green a delightful promenade filled with 
trees in the midst of clean grass, and paths in which men, 
women and children, even, were in the habit of walking. My 
own children ran and frisked among the shrubbery very often. 
Bristol would be a very pleasant place in which to reside, were 
its society better, but the number of sailors that reside in this 
city makes it far from agreeable. The very day after my 
arrival, my landlady directed my attention to what she called a 
most charming sight. As I stepped to the window I beheld 



48 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

(two naked men boxing with tlic greatest fury. I saw their 
blood flowing and the rage that was painted in their eyes. 
Little accustomed to such a hateful spectacle, I quickly retreated 
into the innermost corner of the house to avoid hearing the 
shouts set up by the spectators whenever a blow was given or 
received. 

During my sojourn in Bristol I had an unpleasant adventure. 
I wore a calico dress trimmed with green taffeta. This seemed 
particularly ofiensive to the Bristol people ; for as I was one 
day out walking with Madame Foy, more than a hundred 
sailors gathered round us and pointed at me with their fingers, 
at the same time crying out "^rench whore^ " I took refuge 
as quickly as possible into the house of a merchant under pre- 
tense of buying something, and shortly after the crowd dispersed. 
But my dress became henceforth so disgusting to me, that as 
soon as I returned home I presented it to my cook, although it 
was yet entirely new. 

About three English miles from Bristol there is a bath, called 
Hot Wells, which bears a striking resemblance to "Wcudefurth, 
near Blaukerburg, in the Hartz, except that at Hot Wells there are 
many beautiful houses and a large assembly hall. One meets here 
many people who come for the purpose of bathing. They are 
mostly persons whose disease is of a pulmonary nature. Almost 
all the ladies ride on horse-back, on account of the mountains 
and rocky valleys; and those who are not able to ride sit behind 
a guide in a kind of saddle, which is made similar to a little 
arm chair. This place is the favorite resort during the summer 
months, but, as winter approaches, the crowd flock to Bath, a 
town lying eight miles ofi". At Bath a person is never at a loss 
for amusement, for the place is perfectly lovely and full of 
magnificent buildings. But I saw it only in summer, when 
there is but little society there, and consequently found it very 
lonely. 

In the house in which I lived at Bristol, there was a Captain 
Fenton whose wife had remained in Boston with a dauuhter of 



OF MRS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 49 

fourteen. He loved tliem botli dearly, and begged me to take 
charge of letters when I should embark for America. Upon 
my arrival there, I learned that as her husband had not re- 
turned they had been imprisoned, and afterwards greatly ill 
used. I will narrate this, however, in its proper place. I 
made still another acquaintance in Bristol, which I shall always 
dearly prize. The way of it was this. , Just as I was setting- 
out from Wolfenbvittel, a young Mr. Lee, nephew of the Ame- 
rican general of that name, and a student at Caroline College 
in Brunswick, gave me a strong letter of introduction to an 
English banker, of the name of Ireland, at the same time 
assuring me I would find him very agreeable. Although I 
placed little confidence in the recommendation cf this young- 
man, yet I sent the letter to the above mentioned banker, who 
lived six English miles from the city. (K day or two after, 
quite an elderly gentleman with a very pretty wife called upon 
me, whose friendship I had the good fortune to gain so soon, 
that they begged me to visit them. I therefore drove over to 
their place and dined with them. They lived in a magnificent 
country seat, beautifully situated, and surrounded by a most 
charming garden. I found there two most lovely little girls — 
their daughters — who constituted their entire happiness, al- 
though they wished very much for a son. They were rich and 
every thing around them was on a magnificent scale. These 
good people showed me much friendship, and when I set out 
for Portsmouth, with the intention of embarking from that 
place, I was obliged to give them my word, that if the ship — 
as often happened — should be delayed, I would not sail after 
the middle of October. Afterward, having just missed sailing, 
I came back to London at the end of September, whence I 
wrote them in the spring that I was on the point of embarking, 
^immediately these good people came up to London, which is, I 
believe, about eighty-six English miles from their country seat, 
to tender me their services. Finding, however, that they 
could give no assistance, but determined that I should want 
7 



50 LETTEPiS AND JOVEXALS 

for notliing, tliey insisted ou my taking with me letters of 
introduction to their friends in those ports in which I might, 
possibly, be detained by contrary winds. (After I had safely 
arrived in Quebec, and, consequently, had no further need of 
these letters, I opened them, and was deeply moved on dis- 
covering that they had charged all their friends to supply me 
with as much money as I might wish, without even limiting 
the amount. When the wife was afterward delivered of a son, 
they desired me to stand godmother — an honor which, in 
England, is a great mark of friendship. I have often wished 
that this son might be able some time to come to Brunswick, 
that I might requite the great friendship his parents showed to 
me, and which I shall never forget. 

I passed three or four months in Bristol, and desired nothing 
more ardently than to follow my husband, especially as I knew 
that Quebec was still in the hands of the English. But I 
could never induce Madame Foy to^o. She said that she must 
wait for letters from her husband. Meanwhile it continued 
to get later and later in the year. I wrote, therefore, to the 
minister. Lord George Germaine, and begged his advice. He 
answered me very politely, that it was indeed true that winter 
was drawing near, and that I must, therefore, the more wish to 
embark, especially since my husband had written for me. But 
since he had, at the same time, imposed the condition that I 
should travel with Madame Foy, and he saw me determined to 
follow his wishes in every particular, he did not know exactly 
what counsel to give me. At all events, however, he would 
ofier me a passage over in a (packet-ship, if I could induce 
Madame Foy to accompany me. But all my endeavors in this 
latter direction were fruitless. At last the long expected letter 
from her husband in America came to hand. Upon this my 
impatience showed itself and also the irresolution of Madame 
Foy. Finally, I succeeded in persuading her to consent to our 
departure. I accordingly, again wrote to Lord Germaine, who 
very obligingly at once answered me to the effect that he owned 



OF MBS. GENEEAL lilEDESEL. 51 

a packet-sliip that was to sail witliout any delay ; that he would 
tender me all its cabins for my own use, and that of those who 
were to accompany me; and that Mrs. Foy could, therefore, 
share them with me if I so desired. I would, he continued, 
find every thing on board the ship nicely arranged for my 
comfort, and that it gave him infinite satisfaction to have it iu 
his power to serve me. I afterwards learned that he actually 
gave orders to have all necessary provisions put on board — not 
even forgetting a cow, that the children might have milk. Yet, 
notwithstanding this, the captain of the sailing packet, on his 
arrival iu Quebec, made my husband pay for all these articles. 

In proportion as the moment for our departure approached, 
the more irresolute Madame Foy became She loved her 
comfort, and it gave her pain to leave her very pretty and well 
furnished house. Finally, however, we set out for Port>:mouth, 
where we were to embark. Here Madame Foy and her sister 
found many officers who were old acquaintances, with whom 
they passed a very gay evening : meanwhile I was busily em- 
ployed in getting my children to bed. (These officers told them 
that it was already too late in the year ; that they would have 
an exceedingly unpleasant passage ; that it was a thousand 
pities that such handsome ladies should expose themselves to 
so great risks; and many things more to the same efiect, which I 
could not understand, not being a sufficient master of the lan- 
guage. However, it resulted in her telling me the same evening 
that she should go back to Bristol. I urgently besought her 
not to decide so hastily, and went to bed, she remaining with 
her company. The following morning at eight o'clock they 
came and informed me that we must start back. I begged, I 
wept, but all in vain ; for she Avell knew that my husband had 
enjoined it upon me not to undertake the voyage without her. 
She had already sent back our cartman with our baggage to 
Bristol. I knew, therefore, that there was no help for it; our 
conveyance was before the door, and I had no alternative but 
to return. As we were driving out of the city, I saw a large 



52 LETTEES AND JOURNALS 

wagon escorted by a guard ou horseback. I asked what that 
meaut ? My English maid (I had engaged an English woman 
in Bristol for my journey) told me that it was money being 
conveyed on board the ship. At this reply my heart sank 
within me, and I remarked to Madame Foy, that if they risked 
so much money upon this ship, it could not be too late in the 
year for a safe voyage. " Well," she answered me, " if you 
think so, why do you not attempt the passage ? " " Because you 
have prevented me from doing so," replied I, " by sending back 
our luggage to Bristol without consulting me." To this she 
rejoined in a bantering tone, that, as I was so stout-hearted, I 
could easily undertake the voyage with the few clothes I had 
with me, and that she would send my baggage after me by 
another ship. This woman was generally very gentle, but was 
led into this behavior by her sister, who was quarrelsome, and 
really dreaded the voyage. The tone in which she said this, 
however, at once put me on my mettle, and I resolved to let her go 
on, and return myself to Bristol and await the ship, which had 
not yet arrived. It was expected every moment ; and I had 
less doubt of its speedy arrival, as I had no conception of the 
slowness of the ship-masters, and how often they were detained. I 
accordingly sent with all dispatch my trusty jager, Rockel, on foot 
after the cartmau, who fortunately understood a little German, and 
on that account was more easily persuaded by Rockel to unload my 
baggage. I then left Madame Foy and hurried back again to the 
place whence I had just come, determined there to wait for the 
ship, as long as the season of the year would permit. I was led to 
this determination, not onl}' on account of the promise I had 
given my friends, the Irelands, but especially as I had been 
assured by the family of Admiral Douglas, whose acquaintance 
I had made in Portsmouth, and by other kindly disposed people, 
that I could still count upon fourteen days of good weather. 
Those ofl&cers, also, whom I had seen at Madame Foy's, could 
not even deny this ; and when I reproachfully reminded them 
of telling such a different story, they excused themselves on the 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 53 

plea, that having found the ladies so very timid, they thought 
they could not please them better thau by dissuading them 
from the journey. I often dined at the Douglass mansion. As 
I was not yet familiar with the customs of the country, I was 
continually afraid of appearing like {Ninette at Court, iu the 
comedy, '^ov example, I could never bring myself to eat vege- 
tables, boiled after the English fashion, merely in water, until 
I noticed that they sometimes poured over them an excellent 
sauce of butter. ;! therefore prepared them in a similar man- 
ner, and found it much better than our own way of eating them. 
1 However, vegetables are so very good in England, that one can 
also eat them, even when merely boiled, with salt. I met with 
another embarrassment, also, in regard to drinking. Each one 
in turn honored me by offering me a glass of wine. I had 
already heard something of this custom, and that it was consi- 
dered insulting to the one offering the wine if it was refused. 
As I was nursing my youngest daughter, Caroline, at the time, 
and, therefore, dared not take the least drop of wine, I was sorely 
perplexed. The first day I had not the courage to refuse, but, 
as I feared that in the end it would injure my child, I, finally, 
with all frankness, asked whether they would consider it an 
insult if, instead of taking wine, I returned the compliment in 
water ? They smiled, and assured me, that although exacting 
people, or those in low life might, perhaps, take offense, yet 
high-minded persons would excuse it, and thus I was also 
relieved of this scruple. 

(in the English churches they always repeat aloud the Lord's 
prayer and the commandments. It struck me very singularly 
at first, to hear every one repeating the prayers aloud, which 
made so great a noise, that I was on the point of running out 
of the church. Finally, however, I did as the rest. 

The women in England are obliged always to wear their 
bonnets in church, and they would be pointed at with the 
finger, ir they came in without them. When I came back to 
Germany, and my daughters and I made our appearance iu 



54 LETTERS AXD JOUBXALS 

churcli, with our bonnets on, every one stared at me. Now, 
they wear them in church frequently. Thus is it with every 
strange fashion. I remained three weeks in Portsmouth, con- 
stantly expecting the arrival of the ship. At last, every one 
assured me that I was running too great a risk, in going to sea 
at this cold season of the year, both as regarded myself, and 
particularly the children ; and that it was wagering a hundred 
to one that any more ships would arrive at Quebec this year, 
on account of the ice with which the river St. Lawrence was 
covered about this season. As I had long waited for a ship, this 
state of things was dreadful. But to remain on board of the 
ship for the winter, would have been still more dreadful ; and 
this consideration decided me to give up entirely the journey 
for the present, principally, however, on account of the children, 
for whom I felt anxious. Had I been alone, I might have 
risked it. 

VPortsmouth is an agreeable seaport, and that which makes it 
the more interesting as a residence, is, that one has a fine view of 
the ships which arrive daily, and announce themselves by firing 
cannon. Then the people run down to the shore, and with 
great impatience await their arrival in port. Ships are built 
here, and the dockyard is splendid, as is, also, the building in 
which those young men, who are intended for the marine ser- 
vice, are educated. Never have I before seen such order and 
cleanliness in a public school. Since my visit it has been entirely 
destroyed by fire. The house of the admiral is beautiful, and 
the view from it magnificent. A wall encircles the city, afford- 
ing handsome walks. There are, also, many beautiful houses 
in Portsmouth, and the people, though mostly sailors, are more 
civil than in Bristol. The admiral took care that they should 
be so, and punished all irregularities with severity, but in other 
respects he was a good and kind man. My money by this time 
had nearly given out. I had only sent for as much as I needed 
for my equipment and embarkation. The journey, and my 
sojourn in Portsmouth, which had cost me considerable, had 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 55 

nearly exhausted my means ; and I was, therefore, not a little 
rejoiced to find in the same inn where I was stopping, friends 
to whom I could apply, in the event of a possible embarrassment. 
1 These were a Captain Young and his wife, who had just arrived 
from Tobago. The captain during the Seven Years' War, had 
served as adjutant under our duke, then the hereditary prince, 
to whom he was entirely devoted ; and as he was well acquainted 
with my husband, he proposed to me to go with them to Lon- 
don, and reside at their house, I paying my own proportion of 
the cost, lie wasamanofmiddleage, andhis wife, who was nearly 
thirty years old, was very sallow and ordinary, but had a very 
sweet face. I thanked Heaven for this discovery, and as I saw 
that I had no further hope of going to Quebec this year, I pro- 
mised to follow them, which I did in a very few days. While 
^^. on my journey, I stopped over at a small, but neat town, the 
name of which has escaped my memory. As I was fearful lest 
I should be obliged to pay as much there as in Portsmouth, I 
called only for a small room, a leg of mutton and potatoes. 
The hotel itself was splendid, and all its inside surroundings of 
great elegance. The corridors, galleries — in one word, the 
whole house was decorated on the outside with flower-pots and 
trees intertwined : between these were hung glass globes, in which 
were seen gold-fishes and birds. I was frightened at this ele- 
gance, and trembled for my guineas, especially when I saw my- 
self led into most beautiful apartments, and my table supplied 
bounteously with five or six delicate dishes. As the landlord 
insisted on waiting upon me at table himself, I said to myself, 
" That now costs a guinea more ! " Tbe next morning I found 
my servants drinking cofiee and chocolate, and eating tarts and 
other tit-bits, and could not restrain myself from administering 
to them a gentle reproof at their treating themselves to these 
delicacies, when they must know that I was but poorly supplied 
with money. (They assured me that they had called for nothing 
more than tea, but that the landlord had said to them, that 
such brave servants, who were willing to follow their master 



56 LETTEIiS AXD JOUIiXALS 

and mistress to America, deserved to be well entertained. In 
short, there was uo attention and courtesy with which I was 
not loaded. (Finally, in fear and trembling, I called for my 
bill ; and behold, I had only to pay ten shillings ! I told the 
landlord that he had certainly made some mistake. "No," 
answered he, " I have made a ftiir profit, and think myself 
fortunate that I have it in my power to prove to you that there 
are honorable people in England. I admire your courage, and 
wish to convince you of it." 

Jjpon entering my carriage, I found it decorated with wreaths 
of flowers, and nosegays; and upon accidentally taking hold of 
the pockets of the wagon, I found that the landlord had had 
the politeness to fill them with cakes and oranges for the 
children. 

I arrived in London toward the end of September, and soon 
afterward learned, to my great chagrin, that the ship, which I 
had so longingly awaited, had reached Portsmouth, and imme- 
diately departed for America. They assured me, however, that 
I should have run a great risk had I gone so late in the year. 
Yet I learned afterward, that the ship had arrived safely in 
Quebec, though another one that touched at Portsmouth only a 
few days later, had been crushed by the ice ; the crew, how- 
ever, were rescued. 

(l was now in London at the Youngs, and fed upon the best 
of everything; and as often as I spoke of paying, I received 
the answer, that they were only too fortunate in possessing me. 
This, indeed, caused me great embarrassment ; but as I supposed 
them to be immensel}- wealthy, and on that account did not 
wish to take money from uio, it occurred to me to have my 
portrait painted on a bracelet, and have it set in diamonds, which 
I had with me, and then to present it to the wife before my 
departure. In this way, I hoped to lighten my obligation, 
without causing expense to my husband. I spent my time with 
Madame Young, who was very sickly and hypochondriacal, and 
with our landlady. Mistress Bohlen, a worthy and lovely woman, 



OF MRS. GEXERAL RIEDESEL. 57 

and, oa tlie wliole, was tolerably liaj^py. (Meanwhile, Madame 
Young renewed lier old acquaintances, lived very expensively, 
bought gowns and head-dresses by the dozen, kept the house 
full of milliners and mantua-makers, and, as soon as her pre- 
parations had all been completed, proposed that we together 
should visit the public resorts and private companies. I ex- 
cused myself on the ground that I was a nurse, and, therefore, 
could not leave my youngest child, and more than all, that I was 
too sad and uneasy on account of my absent husband, to attempt any 
such thing. I added, finally, that I feared, also, the great expense 
which it would entail ; that she knew I expected money from 
Germany, and did not wish to abuse the confidence of my husband, 
who had provided for my expenses with a free and liberal hand. 
She took my refusal very badly, for her intention was to go 
out, and she had the idea that it would be more becoming if she 
had somebody as an escort. Instead , therefore, of being friendly 
as hitherto, she treated me with almost rudeness; and that 
which made matters still worse was, that her husband praised 
me for my great attachment to my children, which prevented 
me from going out. She accordingly came to me one day, and 
asked if I had yet found a lodging ? On account of their so 
often repeated invitations to remain yet longer with them, I 
had, indeed, not thought of it; still I answered that I had 
already taken the matter in charge. She replied that she 
knew of a place and would go with me to see it, and thei'eupon 
led me to a truly mean house, situated in a bad and remote 
street. I told her that I considered these quarters too common, 
and preferred rather to economize in other things than in my 
lodgings, which I must have respectable, as I had letters of 
introduction to several ladies of quality, and wished to be in a 
position to receive them in a manner befitting their station. 
She answered me spitefully, that as I was such a good house- 
wife, and loved to be so retired, she had supposed these would 
be satisfoctory. 

As we were being driven home, I noticed an advertisement 
8 



58 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

on a corner touse, in a good neighborliood. I went in at once, 
and found, it is true, a small dwelling, but one that was clean 
and respectable, for which they asked four pounds a week. I 
said that this was more than I was in a position to give, but I 
could assure them that if they would let me have them at a lower 
rate, I should always be home in good time evenings, and have 
my door closed by ten o'clock. The landlady saw my children, 
and, as soon as she heard my history and the fatalities that 
seemed to follow me, she said to her husband : "Look now ! 
we have no children ; these will take the place of children at 
our house ; that is better than a few more guineas ! " She 
then let them to me for three pounds a week, including furni- 
ture, kitchen utensils, and washing materials. I immediately 
took my departure from my former hosts, and betook myself to 
my new quarters, where I found myself very happy ; for I was 
not only comfortably lodged, but my host and hostess became 
my warmest friends. I told them with perfect frankness, that 
it was my intention not to spend much ; that it was true my 
husband allowed me a liberal hand in my expenditure, but I 
was the more desirous of limiting myself on that very account. 
I further told them, that my whole capital, at that time, con- 
sisted of ten guineas, and that, perhaps, I should receive nothing 
more under sis weeks. "Well," replied Mistress Russell, my 
new landlady, " I will be your housekeeper, and buy your bread 
and meat, and as for the rest you shall be supplied by our- 
selves, which, as well as your rent, you can pay at your own 
convenience." 

(They both taught my children English ; and when I was 
obliged to go out, I confidently left them in their charge. 
When I was on the point of going away, the following spring, 
I noticed that the husband appeared very sorrowful and de- 
jected. I inquired after the cause, "jilas!" said she, "it 
is your departure which distresses him so, and particularly, that 
of your little Caroline, and he has charged me to beg yoii to 
leave her with us." " What would you do with her supposing 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 59 

I should die ? " answered I. " Oh," she rejoined, " t\\Q moment 
you left her with us, we should consider her as our own child, 
and give her our entire fortune." If I desired to buy some 
trifle for my children, the good woman invariably asked me 
whether the expenditure would not exceed the sum which I 
had allowed myself. I was delighted to be with such high- 
minded people ; and I had yet more reason to thank Providence 
that it had taken me away from the Youngs, when, in the 
sequel, she contracted so many debts, that they came near 
arresting her, and did, indeed, levy on her effects. The hus- 
band shortly after fled the country from the same cause, and 
the wife, was finally, supported by her friends. I would have 
had, therefore, a thousand different vexations, if I had kept up 
my connection with those people. I cannot, however, suffi- 
ciently praise the good treatment I received from the English 
nation, ^ven persons whom I did not know, came and offered 
me as much money as I might need ; and upon my expressing 
astonishment at this, and saying that they did not know but I 
might be passing myself off for other than I really was, they 
answered, that if I were an impostor I would not live so retired ; 
neither would I bestow so much care upon my children as I 
did. 

i My friends advised me to present myself at court, as the 
queen had stated that it would give her great pleasure to see 
me. I had, therefore, a court dress made, and Lady George 
Germaine presented me. It was on New Year's day, 1777. I 
found the castle very ugly, and furnished in old fashioned style. 
All the ladies and gentlemen were stationed in the audience 
room. Into this room came the king, preceded by three cava- 
liers. The queen followed him, accompanied by a lady, who 
carried her train, and a chamberlain. The king went round to 
the right and the queen to the left. Neither passed by any 
one without saying something. At the end of the drawing 
room, they met, made each other a profound bow, and then 
returned ^0 the place whence they had started. I asked Lady 



(50 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

C^oviiiainc how I should act, and whether the king, as I had 
hoard, kissed all the ladies ? •' No," she replied, " only English 
women and marchionesses; and that all one had to do, was, to 
remain quietly standing in her place." .When, therefore, the 
king came up and kissed me, I was greatly amazed, and turned 
red as fire, since it was so entirely unexpected He immedi- 
ately inquired if I had received letters from my husband ? I 
said, "Yes, up to the 22d of November." "He is well," re- 
joined he, " I have inquired after hiui particularly ; every one 
is satisfied with him, and I hope the cold will not injure him." 
I answered, that I believed and hoped, that, as he was born iu 
a cold climate, the cold would not trouble him. "fl trust so, 
.also," said he, "but this I can assure you, that where he is, the 
air is very healthy and clear." Thereupou he saluted me in a 
very friendly manner, and passed along. As soon as he was 
out of hearing, I remarked to Lady Germaine that, by the kiss 
of the king, I had now become naturalized ! Shortly after, 
came the queen, who was, also, very friendly, and asked me how 
long I had been in London ? I said, " Two months." " I 
thought it was longer," she rejoined. " I have been in Lou- 
don," I continued, " only so long, but have been in England 
already seven months." She then asked, whether I liked it 
here '{ " Yes," I answered, " but all I wish for is to be in 
Canada." "Do you not then fear the sea?" she further 
asked, "I love it not at all." " Nor I either," rejoined I, "but 
I have no other means of again seeing my husband ; I shall, 
therefore, joyfully make the journey." "(l admire your mettle," 
said she, " for it is a great imdertaking, especially with three 
children." 

(^From this conversation, I saw that she had heard more of me j 
and I was, accordingly, additionally pleased at having been pre- 
sented at court. During this reception, I saw all the royal 
children, with the exception of one that was sick. They were ten 
in number, and all beautiful as pictures. As I had been so well 
received, I visited the queen several times afterward. In the 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 61 

spring, just before my departure to Portsmoutli to embark, I 
paid a farewell visit to the queen, wben she once more asked 
me if I had no fears of such a frightful voyage ? And when I 
replied, that since my husband wished me to follow him, I did 
it with courage and delight, believing that I was thus perform- 
in- my duty, and that I was assured tha^were she in my place 
she would do the same; she replied, 'Cjes, but they wrote to 
me that you undertake this journey unknown to your husband." 
I answered, that she was a German princess, and well knew that 
I could not undertake this without the consent of my hus- 
band, as. in that case, I could not have the necessary money. 
" You are right," said she, " I approve of your resolution, and 
only wish you all imaginable success. What is the name of 
your ship ? I shall often inquire after you, and, upon your 
return to England, I hope you will visit me." She kept her 
word, and often inquired about me, and frequently sent her 
remembrances. 

.General Burgoyne had promised my husband, that we should 
travel toget?her. I, therefore, asked the advice of Lord Ger- 
maine, who informed me that a man-of-war was certainly safer ; 
but as one was wholly dependent on the captain, who took no 
pay for the passage or expense of the voyage, it would be un- 
pleasant, especially as I had children. He, therefore, rather 
counseled me to take a merchant-man. Qlv. Watson, a rich 
London banker and a worthy man, who had already been three 
times lord mayor of that city (the same whose foot was bitten 
off by a shark while bathing once in the West Indies), had 
seen my husband in Canada, and promised to let me have his 
ship. General Howe, an old friend of my late father, and of 
mine, also, strongly advised me to accept it, and promised, for 
my greater safety, and in order, also, to give more consequence 
to the ship, a letter of marque, together with two officers and 
sixty men. Mr. Watson liked this arrangement right well as 
such an adjustment is of great advantage to the owners of 
ships; although it is in a measure neutralized by the fact that 



(52 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 

it, at tlie same time, exposes the ship to the risk of a fight. 
(Mr. Watson showed me the ship, introduced me to the captain 
and the entire crew, and dechired to them, that whoever 
should offend me, might expect the same punishment as if he 
had offended him, and, moreover, that any one of whom I com- 
plained, should be instantl}- discharged. 

The ship was large and spacious, and was immediately ar- 
ranged as I wished. 

As I knew that it would please my husband, I wrote to 
Madame Foy, and proposed that she should take the journey 
with me. She accepted it, and all errors were forgiven and 
forgotten. We met at Portsmouth ; and on the 15th of April, 
17*77, we went on board of our ship. We were very busy the 
entire evening in arranging our things in order, and went to 
bed at nine o'clock. 



LETTEES FROM GEITERAL EIEDESEL 
TO HIS WIEE. 



Three Rivers, April IQth, 1777. 

What sad vicissitudes of happiness and unhappiness ! At 
the Isle Aux Noir, news was brought to me, at the end of the 
last campaign, of the safe arrival of yourself and children at 
Quebec. I was beside myself with joy at the prospect of passing 
a most delightful and quiet winter in your society, and in the 
bosom of my beloved family ; but how dreadfully was I de- 
ceived in my expectations to find, upon my arrival here, instead 
of yourself, your last letter, brought by the ship, London, 
informing me that your journey would be postponed until 
spring. This was a thunder-clap, and the only consolation that 
remained to me was, that I could still thank Heaven that your- 
self and our dear children were at least all well. 

The ship, London, upon which it was expected you would 
have taken passage, arrived safely at Quebec, on the 8th of 
December, without the least disaster. Your apartments for 
yourself and our little family, had been quite comfortably fur- 
nished and fitted up; and we would, therefore, have passed, 
perhaps, one of the happiest winters that we have ever spent 
together since our marriage. That hope is all turned to water. 
But God has so ordered it, and we must not murmur, but bow 
in submission to his holy decrees. 1 have endeavored to divert 
my mind from my grief, but in vain. I remained from the 
13th of December to the l(jth of January, in Quebec, to pay 
my respocts to General Carleton, and have been overwlfehned 



(54 LETTERS A2^I) JOURNALS 

with courtesies and attentions. After my return, I celebrated 
the queen's birth-day by giving a great dinner, a ball and a 
supper; and since then, following the example of the other 
generals, I have continued to give a supper and a ball every 
week ; partly to gain the affection of the inhabitants of this 
place, and partly, also, to provide innocent pleasures for the 
ofl&cers, and thus keep them from visiting public houses and 
bad company. General Philips made me a visit in the month 
of February. I have at different times inspected our regiments 
in their winter-quarters ; and, in the beginning of March, 
General Carleton, also, visited me here, and reviewed all our 
troops. He was perfectly satisfied with them all. I accompa- 
nied him to Montreal, where I spent eight days with him at 
General Philips's. On his way back, he staid with me two 
days more. Since that time I have again been round to inspect 
our regiments. I spent the week after Easter by myself in the 
country, in order to have quiet for my religious devotions; 
and now, as the present season is becoming beautiful, and we 
flatter ourselves that we shall be able to receive vessels from, 
and dispatch them to Europe, I seize my pen to talk with you ; 
for I am yet uncertain whether, or when you are coming, and 
at all events, I am determined that you shall not be without news 
from me. Still, I dearly wish that this letter may have been 
written in vain, and that I may have the joy of seeing you 
arrive upon the first ship. 

\ln this letter, you have a short account of every thing I have 
done during the past winter ; and -I will only say to you — in 
order to give you an idea of the swiftness with which one 
travels here in sledges — that from the 20th of February to tlie 
10th of April, I have been five hundred and eighty leagues 
(which is four hundred and thirty-five good German miles), 
partly on the snow, but chiefly on the frozen river St. Lawrence. 
As yet, I do not know when the army will break up, preparatory 
to moving on New England. If you still come, as I continually 
flatter myself you will, remain quietly a few days at Quebec, 



OF MBS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 65 

where you will stay witli my good friend, Mr. Murray, whose 
wife is a meritorious persou. She will please you very much ; 
and should we have already broken up our quarters here, take 
up your sojourn at Three Rivers, where you will find my quar- 
ters vacant and prepared for you, to which end, I shall leave in 
the same house all my superfluous baggage. The grand vicar, 
M. Saintonge, will hand you over the keys on your arrival; 
and he and the Tonnaucourt family will leud you all that you 
may need in the way of furniture. 

You will find a tolerable garden, arranged with reference to 
walking, and to furnishing your cook with all necessary supplies ; 
and you can remain here until we are permanently located on 
the other side of the lake, in New England. When this time 
arrives, I will endeavor to provide a large ship for your passage 
over the lake, and will send you a reliable officer, who will 
bring you to me. I think it probable that when you arrive in 
Quebec you may not like the place, (^either will the wife of 
General Carleton be a woman to your taste ; she is too proud. 
Madame 3Iurray, however, is a worthy woman. All the officers 
trace a resemblance in her to you, for which reason I have given 
her the preference over all other women. Here at Three Rivers 
you will find three families who will overwhelm you with politeness, 
and will do every thing for you that you may wish. First, the 
grand-vicar, who has a cousin by the name of Cabenac, a maiden 
of much wit, who I am confident will please you ; then there is 
the fiimilyof Mr. Tounaucourt, a colonel of militia and a widower, 
but who has three daughters, extremely well educated, who will be 
very good company for you ; and, lastly, a nunnery in which there 
is, also, a seminary for young maidens, where both our oldest 
daughters can find pleasant amusement. I think you will prefer 
Three Rivers to Quebec, on account of its cheapness, for one 
can live here for less than one-half of what it costs in Quebec 
or Montreal. 

I write this letter in duplicate, sending one to England, in 
case you have not started on your journey, and the second 
9 



(50 LET TEES AXB JOrESALS 

to Quebec, where you will find it ou your arrival at Mrs. 
Murray's. 



Three Rivers, Jmie 5th, 1777. 
Dearest Wife : 

Oa the Gth of last mouth, General Burgoyne arrived here 
from England, and brought me the good news that, when he 
left, you were on the point of setting out in the ship of Mr. 
Watson. I have, therefore, expected you for the last four 
weeks with the greatest impatience, and am now obliged to set 
out from here, on account of the delay of your fleet, without 
having had the joy of seeing you — a circumstance which grieves 
me inexpressibly. But as it cannot be helped, I will not 
murmur; for it is the will of God, who knows how to dispose 
every thing in the wisest manner, and more for our own good 
than we often believe. 

I depart this instant, my love, for St. John, in order to pass 
from that point through Lake Champlain to New England. L 
leave you entirely free to decide whether you had better remain 
in Quebec, Three Elvers, or Montreal. I think that Three 
Elvers will suit you the best, because it is cheaper. There you 
will find a garden and a house thoroughly prepared for your 
reception, besides, also, your own countrymen, as Lieutenant 
Colonel Ehrenkron commands at that place, mju will, more- 
over, be near our military chest, and, consequently, you need 
never lack for money. You will find, in addition, wine and various 
other thing's that still remain there. I leave here, also, Biihring, 
the co})(uin iVannes of my company, that he may assist yon 
in every thing, and show you how you may obtain the necessary 
provisions. Your servants can receive their supplies from the 
storehouse. I flatter myself that the inhabitants of the place 
wish me well. I am certain that they will treat you with courtesy. 

Should you wish to drive out with the children, you will be 
allowed only the post. That costs but one shilling for every 



OF yiB^. GENERAL PJEDESEL. 67 

leao-ue. As for the rest, remain tranquil, uiy love. I shall not 
allow you to remain long here, for just as soon as our camp 
becomes quiet, I shall send for you at once. 

Farewell, dear wife. My heart is very heavy within me 
because I go hence without seeing you, but I hope that it will 
not be for long. 

Chambly, June 10th, 1777. 
Though removed from you, dear wife, yet I am ever with 
you in "spirit, and even now am seeking solitude, that I may 
the better talk to you, and in thought call back the pleasant 
hours which we have spent with each other. 
/Some days before my departure from Three Rivers, I com- 
mitted the blunder of leaving open the window of my sleeping 
room, in consequence of which I drew into my system a rheu- 
matic fever. This, it is true, passed off on the 6th, the day of 
my departure, but left me somewhat debilitated the first day of 
our march. Now, God be praised, I am again completely re- 
stored to health. To-morrow I go to St. John to give orders 
for the repairing of the boats. By this time I hope you have 
arrived at Quebec without any ill luck, and I await your first 
letter with the greatest impatience. I shall hardly have the heart 
to open it for^fear that something has happened to you or the 
children upon the journey. If, however, I find by it that you 
and the children are well, then will I thank God and have 
unspeakable joy. In that case, our separation will not last 
much longer, as I shall have you conveyed hither the very 
moment that things become somewhat more tranquil with us. 

Time fails me to make this letter longer. Farewell, and do 
not be uneasy. God will be your and my protector in every 
event that may befall us. 



DIARY DURJDSTG THE VOYAGE FROM PORTS- 
MOUTH TO QUEBEC. 



On the 16tli of April, 1777, as soon as tlie man-of-war, the 
Blonde, had given the signal, we left Spithead, thirty sail strong, 
for St. Helena, where we were to await a man-of-war, named 
the Porpoise, that had been ordered to escort the convoy. We 
were all sea-sick nearly the entire day, particularly when we 
had thrown over the anchor ; for then I found that the motion 
of the ship was much more unpleasant. 

On the 17th, the wind rose, and on the 18th, at six o'clock 
in the morning, a second signal was given, and we weighed 
anchor to the satisfaction of all sides. 

On the 19th, we passed Plymouth under a fine breeze. Most 
all were well, and my children and I were as pleasantly situated 
as if we had been at home. The weather was so beautiful that 
we danced upon deck. Our music consisted of a capital fifer 
and three drummers. 

On the 20th, 21st, 22d and 23d, we had contrary winds, 
storms, very high swelling waves, and bad weather generally; 
and, in addition, the men were all sick. I, alone, had no time 
to be so, for my servants were nearly the sickest of all, and I 
was, therefore, constantly called upon to wait on my three 
children. 'I believe there is nothing better for sea-sickness 
than to be right busy; for on the first day I was as sick as the 
others, but when I saw my children sick and without care, I 



LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 69 

thought only of them, and found myself actually better, witli a 
good appetite. In general, one does nothing on hoard a ship 
but eat and drink. Every day we had four, and oftentimes, 
five and six dishes, which were right well prepared. In the 
morning, when I was up, I breakfasted in our cabin, washed 
and dressed the children, afterward myself, and then went up 
on deck. When I could, I worked; at two o'clock we ate 
dinner ; drank tea at six o'clock ; and at eight in the evening, 
I went down stairs and undressed the children. Then I had 
my supper, and at ten o'clock went to bed. My oldest daugh- 
ter, Augusta, was pretty sick for two days, but after that she 
was better than ever : both the others were only a little unwell ; 
and all three had a good appetite. 

On the 24th, we had beautiful, but very cool weather, and 
the wind was too weak. 

On the 25th, we experienced a calm, and we remained nearly 
at the same place. The helm broke, but the captain, who knew 
well what to do in such emergencies, at once replaced it. We 
had then made only two hundred and fifty leagues since our 
departure. 

I know not whether it was the hope of so soon again seeing 
my husband that gave me good spirits, but I found the sea 
not so dreadful as many had painted it to me, and had not the 
least repentance for having undertaken the journey. I was 
conscious of fulfilling my duty, and was calm because I trusted 
in God that he would bring me safely to my dear husband. I 
would gladly have sent back my servants, who, more uneasy 
and timid than I, were almost, if not entirely, useless to me. I 
pitied them; for they, of course, had not the same interest in 
the journey as I, who was expecting to overtake a beloved and 
esteemed husband. The children felt very difierently from the 
servants ; for when they also were down sick, to my question, 
whether they wished to persevere or go back, they answered, 
'^h, we will cheerfully be sick, if we can only reach our papa ! " 

On the 26th, we again had a fair wind, and made some headway. 



70 LMTTKfi'S AM) JOURXALS 

On the 27t]i, wo had divino worship. It was exceedingly 
edifying to see tlio entire sliip's crew kneel down, and observe 
the fervency with which they prayed. In the evening, the 
wind shifted, and the ship staggered so dreadfully, that many 
were again attacked with fresh sea-sickness, though not as badly 
as at first. I often fell down ; one of my daughters had a finger 
crushed by the swinging round of a door, and the other hurt 
her chin. 

On the 2d of ]May, we had made si.\; hundred and fifty leagues. 

From the 3d to the (Uh, we had contrary winds and storms ; 
and on the 4th, on account of the continued bad weather, no 
divine worship was held on board the ship. \Tlie vessel was so 
tossed about by a storm which we had on the night of the 5th, 
that wo could not cU>so our eyes ; and I was fearful lest I should 
crush one of my ohiUlron, as tliey all three slept with me. 
Little Frodorica novov went to bod without praying for her 
father; and once, after one of those prayers, she said to me, 
" I long to see my dear papa soon." I asked her what she would 
pray for when she should be with her father '/ " Then," said 
she, " I would pray to God every day, that he never more would 
separate us." This affected me to tears. 

At last, upon the Gth, toward noon, the wind ohangod, and 
during the 7th we had a very good wind, and made one hundred 
and thirty leagues in twenty-four hours. All were delighted, 
and paid visits to the dift'erent ships. The ship, Henry, which 
had on board one hundred and thirty-four of our troops, was 
so polite as to raise its flag and call out, 'SLong live the dear 
wife of our general, and the good general himself! " I cried, in 
my turn *' Long live the entire ship ! " and showed them my three 
children as tlio choicest treasures I possessed. Thereupon they 
again shouted, " Hurrah ! hurrah ! " The nest moment they 
formed themselves into a prayer-meeting and prayed, and sang 
hymns. IMy whole heart was stirred within me. The man-of- 
war. Porpoise, came up close to us almost every day, to inquire 
after my state of health, and to know if they could help us in 



OF MRS. OEXEEAL lilEDESEL. 71 

any way. The captain of the ship was the very same who had 
carried my hushand to Canada. My husband had pledg«^d 
himself to get him promoted at the end of the voyage — for he 
was only a lieutenant — and upon his intercession he accord- 
ingly was raised to the rank of captain. There was on board 
of this ship, a Captain Skin (governor of the province of 
Ccorgia), with his son, whose acquaintance I had made in 
Portsmouth, at which time they were so polite as to tender me 
an advance of two hundred guineas, in case I should need 
money. It is true I did not have any occasion for such a loan, 
but I have none the less kept their kindness in grateful re- 
membrance. 

Upon the 8th, we fell in with a ship, which at first they took 
for an American. Although we had nothing to fear on that 
account, still I was a little anxious, as I did not particularly 
long to be present at a naval combat. A cable parted on board " 
of the man-of-war, Blonde, and knocked four sailors into the 
sea. One of them was rescued, but the other three were 
drowned. 

On the 0th, we had come a thousand sea miles, estimated 
at a third part of our voyage. 

On the 10th and 11th, we had a good wind, and on the latter 
day we coiled up a knot every hour (i. e. a sea mile; thus 
called on account of the knots in the line with which they 
reckon the sea miles). There was divine service held this day, 
and a parade of all the soldiers. 

On the 12th, we had good weather, but the wind was not 
propitious for us. 

On the 13th, it was better; and on the 14th, changeable, 
and accompanied by such a thick fug, that it was necessary in 
the night to blow trumpets to warn oft" the other ships, that, 
otherwise, niight have approached too near our own. 

Oil the 15th, it rained the whole day, and was very cold. 
Still, the wind remained good until noon, when it changed; 
and, from the IGth to the 21st, we experienced contrary winds, 



72 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

accompanied by most disagreeable and cold weatber. A still 
worse circumstance, bowever, was, tbat tbe captain of tbe 
Blonde — one of tbe men-of-war attacbed to our convoy — who 
never bad been in tbis region, bad run too far northerly, thereby 
carrying us back some five hundred sea miles, and obliging us 
to wait for a north wind to take us to tbe banks of Newfound- 
land. 

On tbe 22d, we bad a full moon, and with it we received a 
good wind, which brightened every countenance. 

On tbe 23d, tbe wind was changeable. We saw tbe banks, 
but could not yet reach them. I was reminded of tbe fox and 
the bunch of grapes in the fable, and came near weeping. We 
had now been five weeks at sea, and had only made sixteen 
hundred and sixty miles. Besides, it was so misty, that the 
men-of-war fired a cannon every hour, to guard against the other 
ships losing themselves. 

One of tbe ships, called tbe Silver Eel, lost her main-mast, 
and in the night, with the Porpoise, separated from us ; a 
circumstance tbat caused me some uneasiness, as my entire 
baggage, and my husband's wine and regimentals were on board 
of that ship. Neither did these ships rejoin us until tbe 30th. 

On the 24tb, we had truly good weather, but still a contrary 
wind : it was so, also, on the 25tb. 

On tbe 26th, we were favored with a fair wind, and arrived 
without mishap on the banks of Newfoundland. The ship's 
cook caught a heavy cod-fish, and brought it to me. Tbe cap- 
tain of our ship, who was an old and intimate friend of Madame 
Foy and took it ill tbat he had not given it to her, snatched it 
out of bis bands, and threw it again into the sea. I, however, 
gave the good man a guinea for his kind intention. We caught 
nothing more the whole day, but I bad my triumph when, soon 
after, tbe captain of the Porpoise sent me four cod-fish, bound 
on a board, to which some one had fastened a string for safety, 
in case our captain should again throw them overboard ! I 
treated the entire ship's Tirew to them, as if nothing had previ- 



OF MES. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 73 

ously occurred, upon which the captain, at least, seemed ashamed 
of the rudeness with which he had treated me. 

, The above mentioned incident, was not the only unpleasant- 
ness which Madame Foy occasioned me. I had much more 
reason to regret that I took her with me ; for her sister, who 
was again with her, did not conduct herself in the best manner, 
and was, besides, very willful; and Madame Toy's old intimacy 
with the captain of our ship, of which I have before spoken, 
was the reason of her not daring to refuse him those liberties 
to which he had formerly been accustomed. Another thing 
which rendered it unpleasant was, that her chambermaid, a most 
beautiful creature, had accompanied her on this journey solely 
for the sake of leaving a country where she was already too 
much known, and of finding among the sailors such licentious 
friends as she was best pleased with. One day it happened 
that the captain's wine store was stolen, and my poor jager, 
Rockel, was accused of it. I felt deeply for this honest man. 
Fortunately, however, it chanced that one night as Mademoi- 
selle Nancy (this was the name of the above mentioned 
chambermaid) was just on the point of mousing the wine, the 
ship gave a sudden lurch, and threw her down with two bottles 
in her hand. (TTpon this, she gave a loud scream, which brought 
every one to her on the run, and her theft was discovered. 
She justified herself on the ground, that the chief of the sol- 
diers had bidden her to procure him wine. vThis man was an 
old tippler, who often passed the night with her in my fore- 
chamber, especially on Saturday, when it was the ship's 
fashion to spend the evening in drinking the health of wives 
and sweethearts. Fortunately, I had made friends with the 
lieutenant, the old under officers, and the helmsman, by sharing 
my meal with their wives and children. These persons, there- 
fore, came to me one night when the maid and her lover were 
conducting themselves very wantonly, and assured me that 
they pitied me, but that they had risen quickly, and if these 
dissolute people had come too near me, they would have been 
10 



74 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

able to come at once to my assistance. They promised me, 
also, that tliey would stand guard over this place every Saturday. 
This courtesy composed me much at the time, and, subsequently, 
greatly assisted me in preserving calmness. 

The 27th, 28th, and 29th, we had good wind and beautiful 
weather. The ship. Blonde, caught one hundred fish. (A. large 
portion of them were cod-fish, some of which weighed fifty 
pounds, and were very fine. They were hung around the ship 
by their mouths, their entrails taken out, and the sockets of 
the eyes filled with salt : in this way they were nicely preserved 
for a long time. 

On the 30th, we had the most beautiful weather in the 
world, but a calm. It was a magnificent sight to see some 
thirty ships upon the open sea, which was as clear as a mirror. 
By this time, we had passed the Great Bank, and had made in 
all, twenty-one hundred and twenty-one leagues — over two- 
thirds of our journey. We saw a large number of whales very 
close to our ship, among which were several young ones, thirty- 
five to forty feet in length. 

On the 31st, we had the satisfaction of seeing the first land, 
which is called Chapeau Rouge. My heart beat for joy. In 
the afternoon we passed the island St. Pierre. 

The 1st of June, the weather was rainy, but the wind fair. 

On the 2d, we had, first, a calm, then a good wind, and 
passed the island St. Paul, and Cape Breton. 

On the 3d, we came into the gulf of St. Lawrence, and saw the 
Port islands, which are great cliffs. It was the birthday of my 
husband, and my heart was filled with a mixture of joy and 
sadness, and with a longing to see him soon, after all the delays, 
to hold him in my arms, and to deliver over to him our dear 
children. 

On the 4th, we entered the river St. Lawrence, and saw 
mountains upon the left hand. We met a large number of 
ships that were on their way back to Europe; but the wind was 
so strong that we could not speak with them. Many on board of 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 75 

our vessel said that tliey saw soldiers upon them. This caused 
me inexpressible pain until our arrival ; for the thought of 
coming into a strange land, which my husband had, perhaps, just 
left on his way back to Europe, was to me dreadful. 

On the 5th, we passed in the night the island of Anticosti. 

On the 6th, we actually saw land and mountains, and, by this 
time, had placed at our backs two thousand seven hundred and 
sixty leagues. My impatience increased with every day, and I 
sought to drive it away by work. I had already, during the 
voyage, embroidered a double night-cap for my husband, two 
purses, and seven caps for myself and the children, and had 
made in addition, many other little things. 

On the 7th, we had a contrary wind ; but on the 8th, it was 
good, and we had only to make a hundred and sixty leagues 
before reaching Quebec. 

On the 9th, we were becalmed, and anchored at the island 
Pot de Brande. 

On the 10th, at four o'clock in the morning, the anchor was 
weighed ; and we were now safely over all the dangerous places. 
It is a ravishing sight to see both sides of the shore at this 
place — the houses, the great cataract at Montmorency, and 
then Quebec, which we came in sight of at ten o'clock, on the 
morning of the llth. The throbbing heart-joy, which the first" 
sight of this ardently wished for termination of our journey 
gave me, made all my limbs tremble. Quebec, upon first coming 
into view, appeared quite handsome, and, surveying the whole 
prospect, I recalled the beautiful description which Emilie 
Montague has given of it in her letters, and which I found 
very accurate.* The city of Quebec itself, however, is as dirty 



* Madame de Riedesel means Mrs. Brookes's Emily Moiitague. The author of the 
Travels through the Interior Part of America, in a Series of Letters (Lieutenant 
Anburey) who had reached Quebec but a few months before Madame de Riedesel, 
thought, that, in consequence of the devastations occasioned during the last siege, 
Quebec ' would by no means answer the beautiful description given by the elegant 
writer, Mrs. Brookes, in her Emily Montague., Vol. I, p. 150."— iVofe of tlie trans- 
lator, in the translation of 1827. 



76 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

as possible, and very iucommodious, for one is obliged to ascend 
a great mountain in going through the streets. There are, also, 
few handsome houses, but the inhabitants are polite people. 
"While we were anchoring, an incident occurred that gave me great 
satisfaction. Our ship's captain, who was a good man in other 
respects, but who hud been seduced, through his relations with 
IMadame Foy into behaving rudely toward me, came and begged 
my forgiveness, at the same time praying for my intercession 
to prevent the impressment of his sailors. It was the practice 
to examine every ship on its arrival, to see how many sailors it 
possessed ; and if it was thought that there were too many on 
board, a portion of them were taken away to the king's ships. 
I used my solicitations for him, and was so fortunate as to have 
them granted. 

•When it was known in Quebec that I was uearing the city, I 
was saluted with cannon by all the ships in the harbor; and 
at twelve o'clock, noon, we saw a boat approaching us, contain- 
ing twelve sailors dressed in white, and wearing silver helmets 
and green sashes. These seamen had been sent to fetch me 
from the ship, and they brought me a letter from my husband, 
in which he wrote that he had been obliged to set out for the 
army. This news greatly grieved and frightened me, but I 
i-esolved, at the same time, to follow him, even if I should be 
with him only for a few days. I seated myself, with my entire 
family, in the boat, in which I begged permission to take also 
Madame Foy and her sister. This re(][uest was granted; and I 
thus had the satisfaction of making them ashamed of the trouble 
they had occasioned me. At last wc safely landed after much 
yearning desire and an eight weeks' voyage, at about one o'clock 
in the afternoon. When we reached land, I found a little 
carryall with one horse, ^his was the equipage of Mrs. General 
Carleton, which was sent with an earnest invitation to come 
and dine with her, and also to lodge at her house. I accepted 
the first, only, as I wished to follow my husband at once. At 
the General's, T was received by all with friendship. Indeed they 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 77 

did not seem to know how they should sufficiently express their 
joy at my arrival, which they assured me would make my hus- 
band very happy. Mrs. General Carleton, upon hearing of the 
fleet's arrival, and of my being with it, had been so thoughtful 
as to send off" immediately a courier to her consort, to apprize 
him of my arrival, in order that he might rejoice my husband 
with the news. '/The ladies were astonished at seeing me dressed 
like an English woman; for having seen our soldiers' wives* 
arrive dressed in waist- coats, short cloaks, and round caps 
with flebbe ; f they supposed that this was the German custom. 

(The Canadian fashion for a woman's dress is a very long cloak 
of scarlet cloth. The rich wear them of silk, and without this 
garment they never go out. The latter wear in addition, a 
kind of worsted cap with great colored loops of ribbon, which, 
by the way, distinguishes the nobility from the other classes. 

(^ndeed, the nobility pride themselves so much upon this head- 
dress, that they could tear it from any native woman of plebeian 
rank, who should dare to adorn herself with it. The large 
cloaks often conceal very bad and dirty clothes. They wear, 
also, in addition, an under-petticoat, and jackets with long 
sleeves; and when they go out, they wear upon their heads 
large capes which cover the whole head and face, and in winter 
are wadded with feathers. 

At two o'clock in the afternoon, we sat down to table at Mrs. 
General Carleton's. 



* The number of wives of Brunswick soldiers tliat accompanied tlieir iiusbands 
to America, was seventy-seven. 

t A kind of worsted or clotli ornament, coming down frofti eacli side of the cap 
over the ears, very similar to the dogs' ears of the school-boys' caps in winter at 
the present day. 



EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF GEISTERAL 
RIEDESEL TO HIS WIFE. 



St. John, June liith, 1777. 

You are welcome, my dear angel, to the Canadian continent ! 
I had just seated myself at table with the other generals, at 
General Phillips's, when the courier arrived with the delightful 
intelligence, that the fleet from Portsmouth was already at the 
Isle de Bee, within sight of Quebec; and that they already 
had the news, that you with the three children, were on board, 
safe and well. You must, therefore, without doubt, have 
arrived in Quebec the same evening that the letter was written. 

The whole company expressed a common joy at the intelli- 
gence, and drank deeply to your auspicious arrival. The share 
which they all took in my good fortune gave me additional 
pleasure. I only wished that you had arrived eight days sooner, 
as I then would have had the happiness of seeing you ; for I 
had intended, in case I heard of your arrival before passing 
down the river St. Lawrence, to return, and see and embrace 
you. Now, however, it is too late, as I cannot go back. Mean- 
while, dear wife, let us have patience ; our separation shall not 
last long, only, indeed, until you can join me with somewhat of 
security, tranquility and comfort. As our correspondence can 
now be conducted with regularity, I beg you to keep for me a 
kind of diary of what you and the children do daily; and in 
order that we may each know what the other does, I herewith 
begin mine. 

At eight o'clock in the morning of June 5th, I left Three 



LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 79 

Elvers J* took dinner at Riviere d^'^Loup, at the parsonage ; 
and slept at Massinonge, where I arrived very tired. On the 
Gth, I went to Berthieux, where I dined at noon. In the after- 
noon, I was ferried over the river St. Lawrence in a canot 
d'tcorce (a boat made after the fashion of this country, of the 
bark of a tree), and took up my quarters for the night at the 
parsonage in Sorel. 

On the 7th, I set out about six o'clock in the morning, and 
at noon, dined at St. Denis with Lieutenant Colonel Specht, of 
our troops, and arrived in the evening at Chambly. 

On the 8th, both the battalions, Berner and Breyman, 
marched to St. John, and two others came in their place. My 
equipage was not able to follow me so quickly, a circumstance 
that made me feel rather forlorn, as I had nothing to eat or 
drink. It finally arrived in the evening. The transportation 
of the troops over the river St. Lawrence gave me considerable 
annoyance; but, at length, it was all happily accomplished. 

On the 10th, I entertained General Phillips at my quarters; 
and on the 11th, General Burgoyne breakfasted with me. At 
noon of the same day, I set out from Chambly for St. John, 
and on the way, dined at St. Therese with Colonel Mackenzie. 

On the 11th, I dined at noon, with General Phillips, in com- 
pany with Generals Carleton and Burgoyne, and then it was 
that I was made so happy by learning of your arrival. I 
therefore hope now soon to learn, through a letter from you, of 
every thing that occurred to you and yours, during the journey. 
To-day, or early to-morrow morning, I set out for Crown Point. 
You shall hear from me as often as I can snatch a moment for 
writin";. 



* The amount of territory occupied as winter-quarters by the German troops, 
was, as is seen in a former note, much too large for the number of troops. Those 
of the Brunswickers — only 3,383 in all — occupied a front of no less than thirty- 
three German miles. Three Rivers, which was the head-quarters of the German 
troops during their winter cantonment, was the smallest of the three principal 
Canadian towns, and counted at this time about two hundred and fifty houses, 
with twelve hundred inhabitants. The chief buildings were, a convent of the 
Augustine friars, and an English barracks, capable of holding five hundred men. 



80 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 

Farewell ! Hug our three dear children right heartily for me. 
I hope your money has not given out. At Quebec, you can 
obtain on my credit as much as you may wish ; and at Three 
Rivers, you will find the paymaster of our army, Gbdecke, who 
will give you as much money as you may need. Once more, my 
love, farewell ! Grod escorts us as he has done hitherto. Write 
me soon, and rest assured that I shall remain wholly your own for 
all time.* 



* This letter was not received by Mrs. Eiedesel at the time, as she had again set 
out from Quebec, that she might overtake her husband as quickly as possible. 



COI^TmUATIOIi[ OF MRS. GENERAL 
RIEDESEL'S DIARY. 



The same Captain Pownel, who, as I have ah-eady mentioned, 
brought my husband to Canada, tendered his services to bring 
me by water to Point de Tremble ; and a Mrs. Johnson offered, 
also, to accompany me. About six o'clock in the evening of 
the 11th of June (the same day that I arrived in Quebec), we 
embarked on board one of the men-of-war's boats ; and at mid- 
night arrived at a place seven English miles from Quebec, 
having had with us all the way, the most beautiful moonlight, 
and a splendid band of music. I put my children to bed; and 
the rest of us sat up and drank tea together. 

On the 12th, at half past two o'clock in the morning, we again 
set out in three calashes, which are a kind of light chaise or carry- 
all, very small and uncomfortable, but very fast. I could not 
bring my heart to trust a single one of my children to my 
women servants ; and as our calashes were open and very small, 
[I bound my second daughter, Frederica, fast in one corner ; 
took the youngest, little Caroline, on my lap ; while my oldest, 
Grustava, as the most discreet, sat between my feet on my purse. 
I knew that if I would reach my husband I had no time to 
lose, as he was constantly on the march. I therefore promised 
a reward to the servants if they would drive me fast, and con- 
sejuently we always went as quickly as the vehicles and horses 
would allow. ^The Canadians are everlastingly talking to their 
horses, and giving them all kinds of names. Thus, when they 
were not either lashing their horses or singing, they cried, 
11 



32 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

^'AUons mon Prince! Four man General!" Oftener, liow- 
evef , they said, " Fi, done, Madame ! " I thouglit tliat this last 
was designed for mc, and asked, " Flait-'d?" " Oh'' replied the 
driver, " ce n'est que mon cheval, la j^ctife coquine !" (" It is only 
the little jade, my horse ! ") At every place through which I 
passed, the peasants greeted me, and cried, " VoUd, la femme 
de not re eher general ! " — treating me, at the same time, with 
great afFcction. Especially was I rejoiced to see my husband 
so beloved on every hand, and to have them all say to me, " Oh 
qu'il sera content ! Comhlen il a parU de vous ! Oh, qu'ilvous 
aime!" (" Oh, how delighted he will be! How often he has 
talked about you ! Oh, how he loves you ! " )^ In the after- 
noon I came to Berthieux, where I was assured that no calash 
was to be had, and that I would be obliged to make use of a 
boat, or rather, a very light canoe, made of the bark of a tree. 
I begged and implored, and offered money upon money for a 
ealasli; for it was horrible weather, and I had to pass the three 
rivers, which cross each other, and lead to the village of Three 
Rivers. But it was all of no avail, since they pretended to 
consider these ferries as a regular post route, and wished to 
make money out of an ignorant foreigner. There reniained, 
therefore, nothing farther for me to do than to embark. (Seated 
on the bottom of the canoe in one corner, I had my three 
children upon my lap, while my three servants sat on the other 
side. "We were obliged, at considerable trouble, to preserve 
our exact equilibrium, the necessity of which, however, I did 
not learn from our boatman, until we were overtaken by a severe 
hail storm ; whereupon my daughter, little Frederica, became 
alarmed, screamed, and wanted to jump up. Then it was that 
the boatman told me that the canoe would be overturned by 
even the slightest movement. I was obliged, therefore, to hold 
her very firmly, and not mind her cries ; and in this manner, 
we finally arrived the same evening at Three Rivers in safety, 
where our officers clapped their hands over their heads for joy; 
and I, by this manifestation, first learned the danger which I had 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEBESEL. 83 

risked. Two geutlemen, wliile engaged in fisliiug, liad been over- 
taken by a storm, wbicb upset tbeir canoe, and tliey both were 
drowned. I thanked God that I had accomplished the passage so 
successfully, and yet it was not pleasing to me to know of my dan- 
ger, for this very knowledge, ever afterward, rendered me timid 
in crossing the smallest river, even in the most beautiful weather. 
^he grand vicar had no sooner heard of my arrival, than ho 
at once called upon me. He had conceived a great affection 
for my husband, who had spent the entire winter in this town, 
and he increased still more my eagerness to follow him as soon 
as possible, by all that he related of his tender love and appre- 
hension for us, and his solicitude on account of our journey. 
He said that my husband had been sick, which he felt assured, 
had been caused by his distress at having been obliged to set 
out without seeing us ) especially as he had been thrown into 
great anguish of mind by constant, though happily, false reports. 
For example, he had heard that a lady, who had embarked with 
three children, had gone down with the ship ; and again, that 
I had actually sailed, but had become so frightened as to have 
repented of my resolution, and caused myself to be set ashore. 
I was, therefore, more strongly than ever fixed in my determi- 
nation to hasten my journey in every possible way; and I 
immediately sent ahead an express to my husband, apprizing 
him of our coming, ^s the horrible weather still continued, 
the grand vicar had the kindness to offer me a covered calash, 
which I accepted, and departed in it the following morning at 
six o'clock, (^his vehicle went so rapidly, that I could scarcely 
recover my breath, and in addition to which I was so jolted 
about (as I was constantly obliged to hold my children), that I 
was completely beaten to pieces. I was, therefore, obliged at 
every post station, to stretch out my arms and walk around a little, 
to render my joints more limber. In going to Chambly, where it 
was possible that my husband still was, I had to choose one of two 
roads. I took the one through Montreal, where I arrived on the 
evening of the 13th ; passed the night there; and set out the next 



HI 



I.Hrr'I'lilltH ANt> JIHIHSM., 



iiMPiiiiiiL'^ vi'i'y f'iirly, llml. I mii'Jil. vw. my liiii-;l»iiml wA iniiiii iim 
|Hiwi|iln. I ivim'Ik'.I CliiiiiiMy on llir li'.lli, iiiiil iiiniicdiah'l y 
m\\^)\l hif-'lir III' ii ,(',r'Hi|. nl' olliniii, iiikI uiir rdiiclmiiin, wIkhii my 
iMinliiiiiil liMtl Inll Micir. I ill (iiK'ti iiiii In liim iiiid finked vvluud 
my IiiimI»iiii<I wiih'i' " II<- Iium drivi'ii (iver (u UtirlJiimix," \w 
i.pli.d, " (i. iiiii'l, ynii " ( r.rrdiicuix WiiH lU'Uuui I'llip,! ii-li mil.',! 
(ill I I 'I'lirii I liiiw Mini I liiiil (ihoNuli [\w WI'oiiK rimd, iiml Imd 
itmiWtMjiniiilly miwml liim. ^ll|Mlll lliin, (Jdiicu'iil (liirlelmi, \vln> 
Wiirt riiiKiiif.'; Ilm iiliuvn imtiil.'miKul piiiiy ol" (iH'K-t'rn, tviiiH- ii|>, 
mihI iihfMii'ml m« Hull, my liiihliiiiid uniild hr Imck nl IIk' Inhrl, 
oil llie rolliiwiiiL' d.iy, ll(\, lli(U'(Mi|i<iii, IdnK Ink (jipiii I iiir and 

\V<Mll lilli K In <.)u.'|mu^, lli'lei- llllvillK d<-Mv<'l<'<l oNcr llir ( Iilillld 

nl' III.'. Inm|>a In (itmri'iil Itiiiuny im. A ii iMljiiiaiil nl' my liii;. 
I.iiiid iriinun.'d uilli Mi«, and I iiwail.d llir inllnwin,-. day llie 
ililji nrdiim^ Willi iiii|ialH'iir... IMy .'liildKii and my railiil'iil 

ItiirKtd lu'|il a Mhiiil wall Ii mi llir liivli ina«l, ilial lliry minlil, 

lirilip; mil mnvM id' my liiirdiaiid'ti arrival. iMmilly, a nilaidi wiiM 
dttM('i'it>d Iwiviii}^' II ( 'iimidiiiii in il, I m\\ I'lnm a di,sliini'i< I lui 
calarli hln|Milill, lli« CamidiMii yyl onl, nmm iirarn, and I'nld 
(III. ,liildi.m in iiiM ainia. Il waM my limdiand ! Ah lie ulill 
liiid lli« lr\m, ii.> \va;t rlnlii.'d (allliniivii il wiiM .siimmci' ) in ii 
rnll .il' nir,U..K nl' nnnlmi rinlil l.nui.'lrd \mIIi I iti|inll;>', a lid lo 

wIikIi sviih nlliitdn'd ii viiriofJiiliMl iVin^o of Idiic and red, al'lt'i' 
IIh' Camidiiili liitdiinii td' llm fniinlry. My joy whm la'\nnd id! 
dtiMi'ri|ilion, lull llic;.i(lv and I'etdd^ ii|i|ii'aiaiifi' ol' my liiiMJiiiiid 
U>n'illt<d ni.\ ami a lilllo di,di<'iicrmmd imv I loiind l>otii my 
uldowl. diiiif-diimn iii Iimu'H^ — (liiHliivii lor joy al a^'aiii hi'oiii!.'; luu' 
ImIIkm', iind lilllc l''ri'dtM'ii<ii 1i)>(<iiuh(< hIic haw liim in (liiri |ilif;ht. 
I'm llini iviihon ;dio would mil ^mi lo liim ai all. Iml Niid, '(^No, 
no! Iliirt in a na;<l\ |ia|ia ; m\ |ia|i!i iMpnIly!" 'I'liis cnndm-l 
mono iVom llio In. I, lluil I had oK.-n ulinwn lirr llio piclnro.d' 
lior I'ldlnM'. and liad, al llio;.> tinuv*, tiaid dial \\o luid hand.Mmiti 
ololhor*. Slio wa:, lli.Mol'oio, nol prcpiiud lor liini in (lii.s 
ooriltimo. 'I'lio \t'r\ mniiKiil, Imwovm'. ihal lu« llmwtdl' liin 
(titiiitdiitu noiil, idio ii>mliMl\ iMnltraood him, 



U\y ImmIimihI ii.lnni.r.l in.-, U.al, m. lu' waH .m \m \vu.v In ....•..!, 
us lu, 1.:m1 in nnl.T in .vsl l.'nn.srli' a HdU'. lake .linucr will. 
CnlunclAnsl.nliH.r, an.l l.a.l Uh.,. I.a.n..!, I lud a wnnnu. hml 
jUBtarrivo.1 IVnn. i:..rlln..nx. Ilo at .mcu IuuMht lnnu;:l,l, ... 
unci nHlu'd luT uhHlMM- Ihrn, WUH n...y ..uw. al, ll.al pla.'.^ f 
<'Notl.i..K .H.a'o," .iH, .rpli..!, "Il.ai. U.al, a (k,....a.. wmna.. 
will, tl.r.u cl.il.l.r.. l.a.l a.riv.l, vvlm, llu,y Hay, in M.n W.l. nl a 
()..•.....,.. ^.....•al.- ^^||nw.Ha...vl.iMi-.'.MrHl.yn..Ha.vr-MU.Alv 

U.U...1 n.y l>u.l.a...l. "Tin-..../' a-.HN v,lHh.,. MV.-.u. .. 

,n.w.-.-,l...lHlnur.l..:.i.clnlu.nw..Mn., ,Kn.i.M.la..|ya. ..• in.l 

,,.,.„. ,„,,,, ,,.,,,,, I., |..n.n,,, U.al all nf l.i. M.n;.^ .-IhI.I.- 
Iiv..l a.Ml l.aaa.nv-.l; inr Ih, l,a.lli-anl ..nil.,..,: l.-nni ..|H l.o 
whole wi..U.-, aa m,.' Hl.iin. w... II.. li.-.l-iH.. wl..rl. Iia^l a.r.v..l 

tlilB year • i i 

(We re...ai.iea will. o.cl. ntl.er Lwn l.appy «layH. 1 w.^^lxul 
very ...uch to ioUow n.y l.>.Hl.aud, b..t l.e W0..I.I ..ot aK.'^n to .t. 
1 was tl.erero.'e forced, t<. ...y K''^''^ Hom.w, to ^.i l.a<--li t,n I l.ree 
lliverH, where I H..lle.<.l yet .....re .,,..... wlti.eH.L.K M'" <l"l""'>'i''" 
ofthe troopH aKaio.t II.. ..|H,...y, while I, will. ...y -l.iM.-.., w.t. 

ohliged, alo..e a..d .h.,Herled, to .etiir ..1 liv- ... a, Htra..^^e 

laud au.o..^' ....k..ow.. i.eoph^ Sor.-nwiul a..d ve.y .....<^h .•ant 
dnw.. 1 t.avel.'.l haek. \V hat a dil1e.'.',...-e l.etwe,. 1 h.H ,|n..r..ey 
.ndll.at whirl. I had n.:.d., a lil 1 h, while hrh-.e! 'ihi. I....el 
.11,1 n.,t ...nve.n .,Mlekly; In.' at eve.y pn.t .lal ioi., wl..eli.- 
n.ove.l ...e r...ther IVn... hi 'V.d, ...y l.....t Wa. toil, np.... 

alVenh. 

• I. ,. ,,,,1. •. w<,(i(l I Haw all at ni.(!<5, Hniiie- 
(Ah we w. ire paHHli.^f; Ih.nii-li a. wnnd, I Haw, , 

thiu- like a elo.id rihe ..p helo.e, u..r waKo... We weie, at UvM 

lVi..hte...Ml, ui.til we diheovei-ed that it waH a llo.^k ol w.ld 

pi.M.n..;., whieh they eall he.e lonrln. (h.rtle d..v...j, and wl....h 

nre Jn....d in K.ieh u..n.heiH, that ti.e ( 'a..adia.. live. o.. ti.e... lor 

more tl.a,. six weeks at u tin.e. lie ^oes lo o..e of then.. p.K<^«." 

hunts with a K'M. loaded with the H...alleHt shot ; and when he 

con.CH in siKht nf the... he n.akcs a ..oise. TI.e.y I I.e.. Ily np, 

and h<; fiies ii:lo the n.id.t of theju, f^euerally With ei.i.Mlderal.le 



86 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

luck; for sometimes he woimds two or tliree liundred, wliicli 
are afterward beaten to death with sticks. The Canadians sell 
part of the birds, and eat the rest, making of them either soups 
or an excellent tasting fricassee, with cream and garlic. (At this 
time of the year one eats them every where, and generally meets 
with kindness from the inhabitants of the country, who, for the 
most part, live in good houses having large rooms and nice bed 
curtains. Every house has a spacious entrance hall, and, at 
least, three or four apartments. When a Canadian marries o:S 
his daughter, he asks his son-in-law whether he intends residing 
near him ; and should his answer be in the affirmative, he builds 
him a house and stable not far from his own dwelling ; while, 
at the same time, the surrounding land is rendered productive. 
\^n this way, both the cultivation and 'the population of the country 
are greatly increased. \The houses are painted white, giving 
them a most beautiful look, especially if seen in passing through 
the St. Lawrence, for then their appearance, in the distance, is 
even more splendid. Each dwelling has a little fruit garden ; 
and at evening, the herds returning homeward present a most 
charming sight. ;^Every where throughout this country, the 
cows, as well as swine, are driven into the woods, and return at 
a given time to be milked. But they do not neglect to furnish the 
cattle on their return with plenty of fodder ; otherwise they would 
remain in the woods. It often happens that a sow big with young, 
and on the point of bringing forth, remains away until her deli- 
very is accomplished, and then returns with all her sucking pigs. 
If they were confined in pens as in Germany, they would die 
miserably. They are very quarrelsome, and appear to be a kind 
of mixture of wild and tame swine. 

I came back to Three Rivers very sad and full of anxiety. 
My invariable society was the grand-vicar, and his so called 
cousin. As such, at least, she had been introduced to me by 
my husband. She was good humored and conversed pleasantly. 
lie had the same qualities, and was a man of intellect. J^ 
learned afterward, that every one of these gentlemen had the 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 87 

same kind of cousins rcsidini>' with them, who acted as their 
housekeepers; but who, in order to avoid scandal, were forced 
almost every year to absent themselves for a little while, on 
account of a certain cause. 

Besides these acquaintances, I had, also, the convent of 
Ursiliues, or the Sisters of Mercy, whose sole occupation is 
to nurse the sick; for which purpose there is a hospital adjoin- 
ing the establishment. Upon visiting it for the first time, as I 
was passing by the door leading into the Invalids' Hall, a man 
caught sight of me, and, throwing himself at my feet besought 
me, exclaiming — "Become my deliverer! Cause me to be 
killed, that I may return to Germany!" They told me that he 
was mad. I gave him something, and got away as soon as 
possible. 

I found among the nuns several very lovely persons, with 
whom I spent many pleasant days. They had loved my hus- 
,ba-ud very much; and I learned that he had often sent them 
wine and roast meat. Taking the hint iVom him I did the 
same, and even more; for I ordered my dinner to be brought 
into the convent, and eat with them. The company, and per- 
haps the wine, but more than all, the wish to divert me, often 
enlivened them so much, that they would dress themselves up 
and dance a kind of Cossack dance, dressing mc up at the same 
time like the nuns. A young novice, who had conceived an affec- 
tion especially for me, traced such a likeness between the holy 
virgin and myself, dressed in nun's apparel, that she besought 
me to become a nun' on the spot. " Bight willingly," I replied, 
" if you will make my husband the prior, so that he can live 
with us." She was so inexperienced that she believed this was 
possible. She left us, and shortly afterward we found her 
kneeling before a crucifix, and thanking God for my conversion. 
Soon after I had my children brought in. Little Gustava began 
to weep, as soon as she saw me in this costume, and said, " Dear 
mama ! do not become a nun I beg you ! " In order to quiet 
my children, I was obliged to take off" my nun's apparel quickly. 



88 LETTERS AND J0UENAL8 

In this convent there was also a seminary for young ladies, wLo 
were taught all kinds of work. The nuns sing exquisitely; and 
as they sing in the choir behind curtains, ome might readily 
imagine it to be the song of angels. 

My household occupations consisted chiefly in taking care of 
my children, some feminine work, and a little book reading. 
The officers who had been left behind at Three Rivers were not 
amiable. Among them was an ill-bred paymaster general, 
whose rude behavior toward me often roused my indignation, 
and redoubled my uneasiness. As I waited for an opportunity 
to pay for my passage to Captain Arbuthnot, whom I daily 
expected from Montreal,* I presented the paymaster with an 
order from my husband to pay me a hundred and fifty pounds 
sterling. He refused to honor it. I asked him if my husband 
was in his debt for any amount ? " No," said he, " he has, on the 
contrary, a considerable balance yet in his fivor;" but as my 
husband was in danger and might any day be killed, he thought 
it advisable to act with deliberation. I was exceedingly pro- 
voked at this conduct, and told him that I was too much vexed 
ever again to apply to him ; but I knew that if I should have 
the misfortune to lose my husband, there would still be coming 
to me a quarter of his yearly allowance, which amounted to~ 
considerable more than the sum for which I had asked him. 
" Yes, that is so," sneeringly rejoined he, " but how about the 
passage back ? " " That," replied I, " Heaven will take care 
of; " and I never again allowed myself to speak with him on 
the subject, but went to an English paymaster, who gave me 
not only the sum asked for, but in addition, oifered to give me 
in future as much as I wished. I reported the whole aifair to 
my husband, who thereupon became very angry, wrote him a 
letter couched in very strong language, and gave him a most 
imperative injunction to pay me just as much as I wanted. He 
now became more courteous ; and I had the luck to advance so 



* In Montreal tliey buy fur-skins very clieap, to sell a^-ain in England at a heavy 
advance — a business that pays well.— Note of Mrs. Eiedesel in the original. 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. §9 

far into liis good graces, that after his death letters were fouad- 
among his effects from his wife, ia which she wrote him, " You 
write me so many beautiful things about the general's wife, 
that you make me quite jealous!" Four years afterward, I 
had the satisfaction of sending him, during his last sickness, all 
kinds of nice things for his comfort, at which time he sent for me 
to beg my forgiveness for having treated me so badly. The 
speeches of this man, and the various alarming reports that 
came daily, cast me down exceedingly and embittered my life ; 
especially as ' my husband's letters often miscarried ; for al- 
though he wrote me continually, yet when they finally reached 
me, they were old. It is certain that we are more apprehensive 
of danger befalling those we love, if they are absent, than if 
they were near us. I therefore wrote and urged and implored 
my husband to allow me to come to him. I told him I had 
sufficient health and pluck to undertake it, and that no matter 
what happened he would never hear me murmur, but, on the 
contrary, I hoped to make myself very useful to him on many 
occasions. He answered me that as soon as it was possible for 
women to follow the army, I should certainly be sent for. A 
little while after he wrote me that my wish would now soon be 
fulfilled; and just as I, in full anticipation, had got myself 
ready for the journey, Captain Willoe came to escort me. One 
can easily imagine how warmly he was welcomed by me. 

- Two days after his arrival we set out. A boat which be- 
longed to my husband and another one brought us to Three 
Kivers. The troops on board of the first boat were commanded 
by the good sergeant, Biirich, who showed me every possible 
attention, and who, since this time, has always kept an eye 
upon our baggage. Night overtook us, and we found ourselves 
obliged to land upon an island. The other boat, which was 
more heavily laden, and was not so well manned, had not been 
able to keep up with us. ^Ve had, consequently, neither beds 
nor caudles ; and that which was the most distressing was, that 
wc had nothing more to eat, for we had taken with us upon the 
12 



90 LETTEBS AND JOURNALS 

boat, only enougli to last us (as we supposed) during the day. 
Besides, we found upon this island nothing but the four bare 
walls of a deserted and unfinished house, which was filled with 
bushes that served as a couch for the night. I covered them 
with our cloaks, making use, also, of the cushions of the boats ; 
and in this way we had a right good sleep. 

(l could not induce Captain Willoe to come into the hut. I 
saw that he was very much troubled about something, but could 
not at all make out the cause of it. Meanwhile, I observed a 
soldier set a pot upon the fire. I asked him what he had in it? 
" Potatoes, which I have brought with me," he replied. I 
looked wistfully at them, but he had so few, that I thought it 
cri^el to rob him of them, especially as he seemed so happy in 
their possession. Finally, however, my intense desire to give 
some to my children triumphed over my modesty, and I there- 
fore begged, and obtained half, which, at the most, might have 
been a dozen. At the same time, he handed me out of his 
pocket, two or three small ends of candles, which gave me great 
joy, as the children were afraid to remain in the dark. I gave 
him for the whole, a thaler, which made him as happy as my- 
self In the meantime, I heard Captain Willoe give an order 
for a fire to be kindled around our building, and for his men 
to go the rounds the whole night. I heard, also, during the 
entire night considerable commotion outside, which hindered 
me a little from sleeping. The following morning as I was at 
breakfast, which I had spread upon a stone, that served us for 
a table, I asked the captain, who was eating with me, and who, 
by the way, had slept in the boat, what was the cause of the 
noises ? He then acknowledged that we had been in great 
danger, from the fact that this island was L' Mc a Sonnettes 
(Rattlesnake island), so named on account of many rattlesnakes 
being found upon it; that he had not known of it until too late ; 
and that when he did become aware of it, he was very much 
frightened, but still had not dared to sail further in the night 
on account of the storm. There had been, therefore, nothing 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 



91 



left for liim to do, but to build a great fire aud make considera- 
ble noise, hoping in this way to frighten the snakes and keep 
them off. His knowledge of our danger, liowever, had kept 
him from sleeping a wink the whole night. Upon hearing this, 
I was very much terrified, aud remarked to him, that we had 
immeasurably increased our danger by lying down upon the 
bushes, in which the snakes like to hide. He acknowledged 
that I was right, and said that if he had known at the time 
where we were, he would have had all the bushes taken away, 
or else would have begged us rather to remain in the boat. He 
had first learned the fact, however, from the people in our other 
boat, which had overtaken us later in the evening. In the 
morning we found on every side the skins and slime of these 
nasty creatures, and accordingly, made haste to finish our break- 
fast. After our morning meal, we were ferried over lake 
Champlain, and came at noon to Fort John, where we were 
received by the commander with kindness and much courtesy. 
Thus it was everywhere ; so much was my husband loved, both 
by the English and by the inhabitants of the country. Here 
we again took our boats in order to reach a cutter, upon which 
we came to Wolf's island, where we remained the entire night 
on board the ship. During the night we had a thunder-storm, 
which appeared to us the more terrible, as it seemed as if we 
were lying in the bottom of a caldron surrounded by mountains 
and great trees. The following day we passed Ticonderoga, 
aud about noon arrived at Fort George, where we dined with 
Colonel Anstruther, an exceedingly good aud amiable man, who 
commanded the 62d regiment. In the afternoon we seated 
ourselves in a calash, and reached Fort Edward on the same 
day, which was the 14th of August. My husband had actually 
left this place the day before with the further advance of the 
army ; but as soon as he heard of our arrival, he returned on 
the 15th, and remained with us until the 16th. On that day 
he was obliged, to my great sorrow, to rejoin the army. But 
immediately after the unlucky affair at Bennington, I had the 



92 LETTEES AND JOUBNALS 

joy of seeing him again with us on the 18th, and spending with 
him three happy weeks in the greatest tranquility. A few days 
after my arrival, news came that we were cut off from Canada. 
If, therefore, I had not taken advantage of this fortunate oppor- 
tunity, I would have heen obliged to remain behind in Canada, 
three long years without my husband. The sole circumstance, 
which led to this — as it proved for us — fortunate determina- 
tion, was as follows : Upon the arrival of milady Ackland at 
the army, ^General Burgoyne' said to my husband, " General, 
you shall have your your wife here also ! " Whereupon he im- 
mediately dispatched Captain Willoe for me. We led, during 
these three weeks, a very pleasant life. sThe surrounding country 
was magnificent ; and we were encircled by the encampments 
of the English and German troops. We lived in a building- 
called the Red House.* I had only one room for my husband, 
myself and my children, in which my husband also slept, and 
had besides all his writing materials. My women servants slept 
in a kind of hall. When it was beautiful weather we took our 
meals under the trees, but if not, in a barn, upon boards, which 
were laid upon casks and served as a table. It was at this place 



* " The Red House, or BurgojTic's hcad-qimrters, was built before the revolution- 
ary war, by Doctor James Smyth, who fled to Canada, but, subsequently, sold the 
Red House to Captain Ezekiel Baldwin, who occupied it as a tavern until he built and 
removed to the tavern owned, subsequently, by Major Sproll. The Red House 
stood on an open, unfenced space. I recollect having seen it in that condition. 
Wben it was talcen down I do not Icnow ; but two years ago, I found its chimney 
foundation, over which a new street has since been opened. The fort of 1709 was 
on the Red House site, where Colonel Lydius, after having been expelled from 
Montreal, built a kind of block -house residence, which the French called Fort 
Lydius, and burned in IWS. On its foundation, Doctor Smyth erected the Red 
House, which, after Smyth left for Canada, was occupied by Peter Treal, a tory."— 
Letter from the Hon. Judge Hay, of Saratoga Springs jjong a resident of Glens Falls 
and Fort Edward), to the translator, December \st, 1866. 

After the French war, the fortification at Fort Edward became so dilapidated, that 
it was seldom occupied by any of the troops that were stationed there. Canada being 
now conquered, it was supposed there would be no further use for it ; and, accord- 
ingly, just before the revolutionary war. Dr. Smyth erected from the debris of the 
fort, the Red House for his own dwelling. Burgoyne very naturally, therefore, took 
this house for his head-quarters. The order which designated the " Red House 
as Head-quarters," is dated July 29, ItTT. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 93 

that I eat bear's flesli for the first time, and found it of capital 
flavor. We were often put to it to get any thing to eat; not- 
withstanding this, however, I was very happy and content for 
I was with my children, and beloved by those by whom I was 
surrounded. There were, if I remember rightly, four or five 
adjutants staying with us. The evening was spent by the 
gentlemen in playing cards/and by myself in putting my child- 
ren to bed. 



TIIE AMERICAN CAI^irAIGN. 



1777.* 

From the bcginniug of the campaign of the year 1777, 
General Riedesel was neither admitted into the war councils of 
the English generals respecting the movements of the Expedi- 
tion, nor were the instructions, which General Burgoyne had 
received from the British ministry upon the manner in which 
the campaign should be conducted, ever imparted to him. 
General lliedesel continually sought and begged, either the 
command of the advanced guard of the army, or, at least, as 
lar as circumstances would admit, of a particular corps, which 
last request was from time to time granted. At the same time, 
the general made it his greatest endeavor to follow out most 
punctiliously the orders of General Burgoyne; to preserve the 
discipline and morale of those troops placed under him ; to 
promote a good understanding between the English and German 
troops J and to see to it that the German soldiers received all 
that belonged to them, both by the subsidy treaty, and by their 
rank, namely : the enjoyment of the same advantages as the 
English national troops. 

Although, indeed,f slight Uii.^ ' tes occurred now and then 



♦This is an abstractor tlie Military Momoir. writ ton l)y Goneml Riedesel, and 
publisliod in t\ill, in liis Lf/eaiui Wn(iiH;.<, oilitea by Max Von Eolkiuir at Leipsig, 
in ISoO. 

t These jjood olUoes of General Riedesel are conxjboiated by General Rnrgoyno 
in his State qf the E.rjhdition, *id edition, pa-je \&i. 

" The mode of war in which they [the German troops] were engaged, was entirely 
new to them; temptations to desert were in themselves gi-cat, and had lieen en- 



LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 95 

among the privates, growing out of their not understanding 
each other's language, yet they were soon settled, especially 
when General Riedesel was present. 

It was under these circumstances that the army moved out 
of winter-quarters on the od of June. On the Gth of July, the 
Americans abandoned Ticonderoga. On the very same day, 
General Riedesel was detached with three German battalions to 
support Brigadier Frazer, who was pursuing the retreating 
enemy toward Hubcrtou. While, on the 7th, he was only about 
an hour's distance from Brigadier Frazer^ the latter had, with- 
out waiting for him, already engaged the enemy. The fire was 
hot, and the situation critical, until General Riedesel came up 
with his advanced guard, and made with it a fresh attack 
upon the right flank of the enemy, which changed the com- 
plexion of affairs so much, that the enemy were beaten with 
considerable loss -, and Brigadier Frazer, as well as all the offi- 
cers of his corps, expressed to the general their most lively 
gratitude.* 

After this aifair. General Burgoyne gathered his army to- 



liancod and circulated among them by emissaries oCIhe enemy witli mueli art and 
industry. Jealousy of predilection in the allotment of posts and separate com- 
mands, ever subsists among troops of dift'ercnt states ; and a solid prelei-ence of 
judgment in the commander in chief, often aj)pears a narrow national partiality. 

" I confess, I was much assisted in maintaining cordiality in an army thus com- 
posed, by the frank, spirited, and honorable character I had to deal with, iu Major 
General Riedesel : — a character which was very early impressed upon my mind, and 
which no trials of intricacy, danger and distress, have since effaced ; but address 
was still requisite to second his zeal, and diffuse it through the German ranks, and 
I studied to throw them into situations that might give them couttdence in them- 
selves, credit with their prince, and alacrity in the pursuit of an enterprise, which, 
when its dilliculties were considered, in fact required enthusiasm." 

" * After the battle, Frazer, while expressing his thanks for this timely rescue, 
shook hands with his old friend and companion in arms [Riedesel], with whom ho 
had already fought in the Seven Years' war, in Germany, with great valor."-— 
UMory of the German Auxiliaries in America. 

General Burgoyne in his oflicial report of this action, dcjos only partial justice to 
German valor on this occasion. "Major General Riedesel," he says, "and the 
troops under his command wished to partake of the honor, and they came at the 
riglit time to get it." He fails, however, to mention the fact, that it was the Ger- 
mans who turned the scales and assisted the Kritish out of their strait. 



96 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

gether at Skeensboroiigh. On the 12tli of July, General 
Eiedesel was detached with six battalions, with orders to post 
himself in the vicinity of Castle Town,* in order to create in the 
mind of the enemy a suspicion that his object was a demonstra- 
tion upon the Connecticut river. In the meanwhile, General 
Burgoyne had the roads repaired, f and began to advance upon 
Fort Edward, by way of Fort Anne.| At the same time, and 
while he was marching upon Fort Edward, General Riedesel 
received orders to follow the English in that direction, which he 
did, and united himself again with the army on the 3d of August. 
While at this place. General Burgoyne determined to detach 
a corps under Lieutenant Colonel Baum to Bennington, for the 
purpose of seizing a considerable magazine of stores in that 
town ; an expedition that General Eiedesel thought very unad- 
visable, and against which he emphatically contended. Not- 
withstanding this, however, it was undertaken, and as it was 
thought that Lieutenant Colonel Baum had too small a force to 
contend with the enemy. Lieutenant Colonel Breymann — also 
contrary to the judgment of General Riedesel — was sent to 
support him This affiiir, on the IGth, at Bennington, turned 
out very unluckily. The enemy was four or five times stronger 
than the troops sent against him. The distance prevented 
Lieutenant Colonel Breymann from coming up early enough ; 



* Castle Town — the present Castleton, Yt., — is described as being, at this period, 
"a wretched place, consisting of only twenty miserable dwelling houses, the 
owners of which were for the most part patriots." 

t General Burgoyne not only had to repair the roads, but to cut a road through 
a primeval forest — and the worst kind of a forest, full of swamps and wind-falls. 
During his march to Fort Edward alone, he had to build forty bridges, and lay cor- 
duroy roads of logs across the swamps, one of which was two miles in length. 

% Fort St. Anne, at this time, existed only in name. It consisted of a square, 
formed by palisades, with loop-holes between them. Inside of the enclosure were 
a wretched barrack and a store-house built of wood. The Americans set, it on fire 
when they evacuated the place ; but a violeut shower having set in and extinguished 
the flames, the work of destruction was only partially accomplished. The bricks 
of the foundations that were still standing were used by the Gennans, on taking 
possession, to build ovens. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 97 

and, accordingly, botlx corps were beaten one after another. 
The men as well as their respective chiefs acted very bravely, 
but they were the victims of having been stationed too far from 
the army, without the slightest communication. 

This unfortunate affair caused a sudden cessation of all our 
operations. Our boats, provisions — in fact, nothing was re- 
ceived from Fort George. The army, therefore, could not 
advance farther, and the despondent spirits of the enemy 
became suddenly so elated, that its army grew daily stronger. 

On the 8th of August, Greneral Riedesel was detached with 
three battalions to John's Farm,* between Forts George and 
Edward, for the purpose, not only of covering the communica- 
tion with Fort George, but to promote the conveyance of the 
convoy to the army. There, in that place, he was completely 
cut off from the army ! So he entrenched himself in a strongly 
fortified camp, that he might be able to defend himself to the 
last man. The main army were stationed during the whole of 
this time at Edward's House and Fort Miller ; one battalion 
being placed at Fort Edward for the purpose, of keeping up the 
communication. It was natural to expect that when the army 
should advance toward Albany, intermediate forts would be 
established along the Hudson river, to keep up continually 
communication with Fort George; but General Burgoyne, 
fearing that by such measures his army would be very much 
weakened, determined upon an entirely different plan. He 
wished, in fine, with forty days' provisions, and a proportionate 
train of artillery, to advance against the enemy, and having 
beaten them, to put forth every effort to force a communication 
with the army that was believed to be advancing from New 
York to meet him; at the same time abandoning all communi- 
cation with Fort George, Ticonderoga, and Crown Point. Of 
this design, however, nothing was allowed to transpire. 



* This fai-ni was Immecliatcly uorth of Half-waj' brook, two miles from the present 
pretty vilhige of GIcu's Falls. Half-way brook must not be confounclcd with Rocky 
brook, where Maginnis fell while on his way to the relief of General Johnson, ou 
the Sth of September, 1755. 

13 



OS 



LETTEHS AX 7) JOUJRXALS 



As soon as the provisions and all otlior necessary siipplies 
for the army Avorc collcctod, llio camp broke up on the 11th of 
September J on the loth, (ho army had entirely passed the 
Hudson river, and on the 14th, encamped ou the heights of 
Saratoga. On the 15th, it marched to the heights of Dovogat, and 
on the 17th, was at Swords's liouse. All these marches were 
attended with exceeding hardship, as all the roads and bridges had 
to be repaired, and we were obliged to make very cautious recou- 
uoissauces. A still worse circumstance was, that the course of the 
Hudson is such, that the ridge of hills on either side is now 
close to it and now far off. The columns were thus forced to 
march on the Hats and on the heights, and, were, therefore, very 
ol'ten half an hour's distance from each other, many times with- 
out an opportunity of uniting. 

In the meantime, the unfortunate affair happened at Ben- 
nington ; and this, together with the raising of the siege of 
Fort Stanwix by the American tioneral Arnold — a siege that 
had been undertaken by the English Lieutenant Colonel St. 
Leger — raised the spirits of the enemy so auiazingly, that the 
militia poured forth iu crowds from the provinces of New Hamp- 
shire and New York. Three brigades, also, arrived from the army 
of Washington and Putnam ; and Cieneral Gates was sent by Cu-ue- 
ral Washington to take command of the army. By this means 
the American army which, at the end of July and the begin- 
ning of August, was only about four or five thousand strong, 
now increased to between fourteen and twenty thousand men. 

With this considerable force the enemy advanced first as far as 
Stillwater, and afterward encamped three miles this side upon 
the lieights of Bimese's House,* where his right wing was sup- 
ported by the Hudson river. This wing was protected iu front 
by a large, marshy ravine, and behind, its lines were screeocd 



* So spoUetl in tl>o oriiriurtl. PwbnWy no name h.-is boon irivoii iu as many dif- 
foivnt way* as this. Sonio wiitoi-s spoil it Romis : othoi-s nohmus; whilo, aa:!iin, 
W. 0. Wilkinson ^lioulenaut in the (i-,M Rriiish rv>s;imi>nt, and assistant euginooi^ iu 
his map of tho lioUl of action, uiado ou the spot, spoils it Bnwuus. 



OF MRS. GENERAL lUEBESEL. 99 

by au abatis. The left wing extended on to a height, upon 
the top of which stood a school house, and its left flank was 
likewise screened, on the side of the hill, by felled trees. 
The heights were as steep behind as in front ; and it was upon 
these heights that the enemy were entrenched and awaited our 
arrival. About eleven o'clock, on the morning of the 19th, 
our army advanced from Swords's house in three columns. The 
left hand column, which went by land and water, consisted 
of four German regiments, and the 47tli British, the latter 
covering the bateaux. These troops, together with all the 
artillery and baggage, were placed under the command of Gene- 
ral Riedesel. At an interval of half an hour all the English 
regiments, which were led by Burgoyne, himself, as general-in- 
chief, marched upon the heights at our right hand ; and the 
third column, which marched still more to the right, were 
composed of the Frazer corps, and the corps of Lieutenant 
Colonel Breymann, and were commanded by Brigadier General 
Frazer. The march was exceedingly tedious, as every moment 
new bridges had to be made, and trees cut down and removed 
out of the way. About one o'clock, the column of General 
Iliedesel heard a discharge of small arms and cannon, and con- 
jectured that it came from the troops with General Burgoyne. 
At half past two the firing commenced anew with more or less 
fury. As General Riedesel up to this time had not received 
the least intelligeuee from General Burgoyne, he dispatched" 
Captain Willoe to him. The latter returned after three-quarters 
of an hour, bringing orders from Burgoyne to take the best 
measures to cover the artillery, baggage and bateaux, and then, 
with as many troops as he could spare, to come to his assistance, 
and endeavor to attack the eYieniy on the right flank. 

General Iliedesel immediately took his infantry regiment and 
two companies of the Rhetz regiment, and marched through a 
piece of woods over the heights in the direction of the firing. 
Upon emerging from the wood into the clearing at Freeman's 
form, he saw both armies engaged, and found himself close 



100 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

on to the enemy's right flank. The English left wing was just 
on the point of retreating. He, therefore, at once formed the 
seven companies, and attacked the enemy at the double-quick. 
As soon as the English perceived this movement, they rallied, 
and, in a short time, the enemy was completely beaten; and had 
not night come on, it would have been easily possible to have 
driven, at the same time, his broken ranks into his camp in the 
greatest disorder. Night rested upon the troops as they stood 
on the field of battle ; * and General Riedesel retvirned to the 
left wing by the river side. On the 20th, our army occupied 
the position of Freeman's farm as far as the end of the rising 
ground toward the Hudson river. The hill, which surrounded 
the valley, was fortified with redoubts, and a bridge was thrown 
over the river, and protected on the other side by a tete depont. 
The entire army entrenched itself with lines and redoubts, 
which here and there were garnished with batteries at suitable 
places. 

In this position both armies remained stationary until the end 
of September. Our pickets were from time to time attacked. 
"We were constantly obliged to send out our foraging parties 
accompanied by a strong escort, and the forage became very 
scarce. We often sent out detachments to reconnoitre the 
right flank of the enemy, but we were never so fortunate as to 
obtain any accurate knowledge of his camp. The enemy, on 
his side, likewise, did not fail to send out from time to time 
detachments against our right flank, and upon the other side of 
the river in the direction of the Batten kill. While stationed 
at this place, we also learned that the enemy had made an 
attempt, by way of Skeensborough, upon Carillon, which was 
unsuccessful. He had, however, surprised four companies of 
the 53d regiment, stationed at the Saw-mill, who were all 



* " The British and German troops liivonacked on the battle-field, the Bruus- 
wickers composing in part the right wing. It was a silent night. No other sounds 
were heard, except the groaning and sighing of the wounded, and the challenging 
of the sentries."— The Auxiliary Troops in America. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 101 

captured. Our provisions were cut off, reducing- our daily 
rations to one pound of meat and one of bread ; a trial, liowever, 
wliich our soldiers bore with the greatest fortitude. As our 
situation became from day to day more critical, and the position 
of the enemy being too strong, and his army too numerous to 
attack him. General Burgoyne, on the 4th of October, called 
Generals Phillips and PJedesel, and Brigadier General Frazer 
into his presence, for the purpose of consulting with them upon 
the best course to be pursued under the present state of affairs. 
CFor his part, he proposed to leave all the supplies and boats for 
a few days in one of the entrenchments, under the care of a 
force of about eight hundred men, and to attack the enemy 
upon his left flank, and turn his rear. But as we knew as little 
of the roads as of the position of the enemy's left wing, and as 
three or four days must certainly elapse before we could bring 
about an engagement, and as, moreover, it would be dangerous 
to leave our weakly guarded magazines for so long a time, it 
was determined, after mature deliberation upon these and still 
other circumstances, to hold a second conference upon the 
evening of the 5th. At this meeting. General Riedesel dis- 
tinctly declared, that our situation was of such a nature that if 
we did not march against the enemy within one day, to attack 
him and bring affairs to a crisis, it would be expedient to move 
back again to the Batten kill; and after having passed the 
Hudson in rear of the Batten kill, where we could not again 
be cut off from Fort George, to await General Clinton's move- 
ments in opening communication. Brigadier General Frazer 
fell in with this opinion of General Riedesel. General Phillips 
would give no advice whatever, and General Burgoyne, with 
whom it went hard to make a thoroughly backward movement, 
declared that, on the 7th, he would make a reconnoissance as 
near as possible to the enemy's left wing, in order to ascertain 
whether or not it could be attacked. In the first case, he would 
on that very day, the 7th, immediately attack the enemy ; but 
if, on the contrary, the enemy's position was too strong, he would, 



102 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

on the llth of October, at ouce retreat to the Batten kill. As 
he persisted in this determination, there remained nothing else 
to do but to submit to his wishes. On the 6th, we foraged, and 
distributed rations for four days among the men. On the 7th, 
at ten o'clock in the morning, fifteen hundred men, selected 
for the reconnoissance, marched forth with eight cannon, under 
the command of Grcneral Burgoyne himself, who was accompa- 
nied from the camp by Grenerals Riedesel, Phillips and Frazer. 
In three columns, we advanced to within about a quarter of an 
hour's march of the enemy's left wing, where we met a portion 
of the enemy occupying a house (Weiser's house) ) drove him 
out, and took possession of the rising ground, which, however, 
was surrounded on both sides with woods. While we were 
deliberating in this place, how we could push the reconnois- 
sance still further, the enemy attacked the left wing of our 
command, and flung himself with the greatest force upon the 
English grenadiers standing in the wood. Lieutenant Colonel 
Specht, who commanded the centre, maintained his position for 
a long time, and would have sustained himself still longer, had not 
my Lord Balcarras, who was stationed on his right flank, been 
ordered back through some misunderstanding. As he was now 
attacked in front and on both flanks, he found himself, with his 
three hundred men, forced to retreat. Thereupon, the enemy 
pressed forward from all sides, and General Burgoyne at once 
ordered a retreat upon the great redoubt on the right wing of 
the Frazer corps. Scarcely had the troops reached there, when 
the enemy attacked the redoubt with the greatest fury, but. 
without success ; and we held it until the next morning. But 
the Breymann corps, hardly t«'o hundred men strong, and 
attacked in front and on both flanks, gave way after Lieutenant 
Colonel Breymann was killed. Now, but unfortunately too late, 
General Bui-goyne determined to make a retreat to the Batten 
kill. Before the break of day on the morning, of the 8th, we 
left our position and drew off" into the valley where our supplies 
were. We were obliged, however, to stop over a day, as our 



OF MBS. GENE UAL RIEDESEL. IQS 

hospital could not be sooner transported. In the evening we 
set out on our retreat, and General Riedesel was placed in 
command of the vanguard, with instructions to cross the Hud- 
son and post himself behind the Batten kill. But scarcely had 
he arrived at Dovogat, when he received orders to halt. A day 
was thus uselessly wasted, to our greatest amazement. lu the 
evening, we again marched, and passed Fishkill, near Saratoga.* 
By this time, the enemy had occupied the opposite bank of the 
Hudson, at the Batten kill, for which reason General Burgoyne 
considered it dangerous to cross the Hudson. The army, there- 
fore, on the 10th, took up a position at Saratoga which, indeed, 
was strong on the left wing toward the Fish kill, but in the 
centre and on the right wing, was so faulty, that it was impos- 
sible to maintain it. The same evening the entire army of the 
enemy came up. On this same day, we had despatched two 
regiments under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Southerland 
on this side of the Hudson river, to reconnoitre the road which 
led to Fort Edward, and had sent with him the engineer. Captain 
Twiss, to repair the bridges. Lieutenant Colonel Southerland 
actually got within an hour's march of Fort Edward, and was 
preparing to mend the chief bridge, when he received the un- 
fortunate order to return. On the morning of the 11th, the 
enemy, with three brigades, passed Fish kill in full view of our 
army, with the intention of attacking our rear. He was so 
fortunate as to capture our boats, and also make prisoners of an 
olficer with thirty men, and a great part of our boatmen. A 



* The reader must bear in mind that this is not the Saratoga watering place of 
modern days, but the old town of Saratoga, Ijiug upon the margin of the Hudson 
river. At this time, the Saratoga, here referred to in the text, was a village of some 
thirty isolated houses, located on the right bank of the Batten kill, which empties 
into the Hudson. Contiguous to this village was the old military work. Fort 
Hardy, called after Governor Hardy, and erected in the first French war. The lines 
of entrenchment embraced about fifteen acres of ground. The outer works which are 
bounded south on the north bank of P'ish creek (Fish kill), and east on the west 
bank of the Hudson, yet (1867) retain the appearance of a strong fortification. Human 
bones, fragments of fire-arms, swords, balls, tools, broken crockery, etc., are fre- 
quently picked up on this ground. 



104 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

brisk fire of canister that we opened upon him, forced the 
enemy, it is true, to recross the Fish kill; but the bateaux, 
together with a great part of our supplies, were, nevertheless, 
lost. During the entire day, our army was cannonaded from 
the front and in the rear, and the outposts fired incessantly 
upon each other. In the evening. General Burgoyne again 
called Generals Riedcsel and Phillips to him, and held a con- 
sultation regarding the best course to be pursued in this 
emergency ; and as he himself gave it as his opinion, that it 
was as impossible to attack the enemy, as to maintain our posi- 
tion either in the centre or upon the right wing, General 
lliedcsel proposed to abandon the baggage and retire to this 
side of the Hudson during the night — not, indeed, at Fort 
Edward, but to ford the river four miles below, and strike 
across to Fort George — a feat that was still possible, since the 
enemy had not yet occupied the road on this side of the river. 
That evening, however, we could not agree upon any fixed plan. 
It was the same on the 12th. Meanwhile, the enemy occupied 
all the posts along the river as far up as Fort Edward, and also 
extended itself more along our front. 

At three o'clock in the afternoon, a conference, to which 
Brigadiers Gall and Hamilton were admitted, was again held. 
General Iliedesel insisted very vehemently and in the most 
emphatic language, upon the retreat as previously proposed — 
a retreat that was now still practicable, but which the slightest 
movement of the enemy would render utterly impossible. At 
last, this retreat was resolved upon ; but scarcely had all its 
details been arranged, when it was discovered, that the provi- 
sions l")r six days, which should have been given out in the 
morning, had not yet been distributed. An order to this effect 
was, accordingly, at once given out; and it was resolved, that 
if by ten or eleven o'clock that evening the distribution of the 
provisions should be finished, the retreat should be begun. 
General Iliedesel was to lead the van, and CJoneral riiillips to 
bring up the rear guard. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 105 

Precisely at tea o'clock, Greneral Riedesel notified General 
Burgoyne that the provisions had been distributed, but received 
the unprecedented answer, that it was now too late, and that 
the army should remain in their present position. 

On the morning of the 13th, the previous situation was com- 
pletely changed. The enemy had entirely surrounded us, and 
with such skill, that in order to attack him we would be obliged 
to cross a marshy ravine and a steep hill ; by doing which, we 
should be so far removed from the water, that he could cross 
over from the other side and attack us in the rear. By this 
time, also, the nick of time for retreating was lost; and the 
retreat itself entirely impossible. The army, moreover, had 
only five days' rations. Accordingly, on the very same day, 
(Jcneral Burgoyne summoned the commanders of battalions to 
a general council of war, in which the condition of our army, 
and the strength and position of that of the enemy were laid 
before them. General Burgoyne then acknowledged that he 
considered it an impossibility to attack the enemy, and that 
even should we, against all probability, beat him, the lack of 
provisions would eficctually prevent us from reaching Fort 
Georgo. To retreat was equally impossible, unless each one for 
himself should make his way as well as he could, through the 
pathless forests. With provisions we could, it was true, still 
maintain ourselves in our present position for five days. At 
the expiration of that time, however, our situation would be 
the same, our position in the centre and on the right wing un- 
tenable, and the rout and dispersion of the army, an event not 
only probable, but certain. After all these arguments had been 
carefully weighed by each one of the council, General Bur- 
goyne solemnly declared, that no one but himself should answer 
for the situation in which the army now found itself, since he 
had never asked any one for advice, but had only asked obedi- 
ence to his orders. This frank declaration. General lliedesel 
received with thanks, since by it, every one would be convinced 
that he had had no shure in the preceding movements; and he 
14 



1 OG LETTEBS AND J VENALS 

tlicrc and tlicn begged all the English officers to bear testiraony 
to that effect, if at any time he should be called to account. 
Thereupon, General Burgoyne laid before the council of war the 
following questions : 

1st. Whether military history furnished any examples of an 
army haviug capitulated iinder similar circumstances? 

2d. Whether the capitulation of an army placed in such a 
situation would be disgraceful ? 

3d. Whether the army was actually in such a situation as to 
be obliged to capitulate ? 

To the first question, all answered that the situation of the 
8axon army, at ]*irna, of General Fink, at JMaxan, and of Prince 
IMauricc, of Saxony, was not as bad and helpless as that in 
which our army found itself placed at this present moment; 
that no one could have censured generals who, when placed in 
such a predicament, had capitulated in order to save their 
armies; and besides that, the king of Prussia had cashiered 
General Fink chiefly through personal dislike. 

To the second question every one again answered, that the 
capitulation could not be disgraceful' for the reasons just cited. 
In answer to the third question, all present declared that if 
General Burgoyne saw a possibility of attacking the enemy, 
they wore ready and willing to ofler up their blood and their 
lives; but, if nothing could be gained by such a sacrifice, they 
considered it much better policy to save to the king his troops 
by a thoroughly honorable capitulation, than by remaining still 
longer in their present dangerous situation be obliged, after 
all their provisions were consumed, to surrender at discretion, 
or, still worse, by awaiting, in their insecure position, an attack 
from the enemy, to be scattered and separately destroyed. 

After this unanimous declaration. General Burgoyne produced 
the draught of a capitulation, which appeared advantageous, and 
without a dissenting voice was approved of on the spot. Upon 
which General Burgoyne resolved to send a drummer into the 
enemy's camp, and propose that, on the' next day, a staff-officer 



OF MltS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 107 

should be sent over to confer with tlie American General Gates, 
who commanded the army of the enemy, upon affairs of great 
importance ; but in the meantime there was to be a cessation of 
hostilities. To all of this General Gates agreed. 

On the 14th, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, Major Kingston i 
was sent over to the Americans, With the propositions of General 
Burgoyne, the principal one of which was that our army should 
surrender themselves prisoners of war only on condition that 
they should be conveyed to Boston and from there shipped to 
England, after they had pledged themselves not to serve against 
the Americans in this war, or until exchanged. 

(This condition, however, would not be entertained by General 
Gates, who sent over another plan of capitulation, consisting of 
six articles, the first of which was that the army sho'ild be sur ■ 
rendered as prisoners of war, and the last, that the troops should 
stack their arms in the entrenchments which they still occupied, 
and then march to such places as should afterwards be deter- 
mined upon. 

General Burgoyne again called together the council of war, 
and read to it these propositions of General Gates. All the 
officers unanimously declared that they would rather die of 
hunger than to agree to such disgraceful articles. The entire 
six were therefore rejected by General Burgoyne, with the 
assurance fliat no other propositions would be entertained than 
those which he himself had proposed. Upon this the armistice 
ceased To every one's great amazement, however. General 
Gates sent, on the morning of the 15th, some new articles of 
capitulation, in which he agreed to nearly all the points previ- 
ously insisted upon by General Burgoyne, except in a few 
trifling matters. One point, however, was insisted upon, viz : 
that the army should march out of their position that very 
same day at two o'clock in the afternoon. 

This sudden change on the part of General Gates, and the 



1 At this time deputy adjutant geiiei'al. 



108 LETTEES ANV JOUBNALS 

last article so strenuously iusisted upon, created in our minds 
some little hesitation. The council of war was again convened, 
and it was resolved that the proposals of General Gates, just 
received, should be accepted, but, as they were only prelimina- 
ries, and many subsequent articles were to be settled before 
General IJurgoyne could sign the capitulation, the time given 
(two o'clock in the afternoon) was too short; and it was 
accordingly proposed to appoint two staff-officers from both 
sides, who should settle between them the secondary articles 
and arrange for both parties the ratification of the treaty. 
Upon our side jjieutcnant Colonel Southerland and Captain 
Craig were appointed for this purpose. The commissioners 
remained together until eleven o'clock in the evening, by which 
time all that we had asked for was accorded by the enemy. 
There was, it is true, a sending backwards and forwards to 
General Buvgoyne, upon various trifling points, but, as the 
commissioners of the enemy granted every thing that our's 
asked, the latter, who were fully authorized to conclude the 
treaty, promised upon the word of honor of themselves and 
General Burgoyne, that the capitulation should be sent back 
the following morning ratified by General Burgoyne j it being 
understood, in the meanwhile, that the cessation of hostilities 
should continue. 

The commissioners came back at twelve o'clock at night. 
The same night a deserter I'rom the enemy's camp came intoour's, 
and told us that he had learned, through a third hand, that the 
English General Clinton had not only taken possession of the 
entrenchments of the Highlands, but that he had, eight days 
previously, moved up to iEsopus with his troops and fleet, and 
must, in all probability, have arrived by this time at Albany. 
General Burgoyne and several officers were so much elated by 
this doubtful intelligence, that a great desire arose to break the 
whole capitulation. A council of war was, accordingly, once 
more convoked, and the following questions proposed for its 
consideration : 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 109 

1st. Whctliei- a treaty whicli had been aeliiiitcly settled by 
fully empowered cominissiouers — even after the promise of the 
general to ratify all that the commissioners had agreed upon — 
could be broken with honor ? 

2d. Whether the intelligence just received was sufficiently 
reliable to authorize us to break so advantageous an agreement 
in our present situation ? 

3d. Whether the army had, indeed, a sufficiently reliant spirit 
to defend their present position to the last mati ? 

On putting the first question, fourteen votes against eight 
declared that a treaty, which had been closed upon such terms, 
and in which the enemy had granted all our demands, could not 
be broken without a violation of honor. 

Upon the second question, the votes were also divided. 
Those voting in the negative, based their opinion on the ground 
that the intelligence brought over by the deserter was all of it 
only hearsay. It would be a different matter if General Clinton 
himself had sent a courier, or if the man had really seen Clin- 
ton's army; and, even assuming that General Clinton was 
actually at iEsopus, the distance from there was so great that 
he could not help us a particle in our melancholy situation. 

To the third question, all the officers of the left wing an- 
swered in the affirmative. But the officers of those regiments 
composing the right wing, and stationed on the low ground, 
answered that all the soldiers would certainly display great 
courage if they should attack the enemy, but that, as all the 
defects of our position were well known, it might be questioned 
whether they would be able to resist an assault. 

In order, however, to gain time, a middle course was attempted, 
namely: General Burgoyne, early on the morning of the IGth, 
wrote a letter to General Gates, in which he informed him that 
he had received, the previous night, from deserters and others, 
intelligence to the effect, that he had, while the negotiations 
were yet in progress, detached a considerable portion of his force 
to Albany. As this was against faith and honest dealing, he 



110 LETTERS AND JO URNALS 

could not ratify the capitulation until lie was convinced that 
the opposing army was three or four times larger than his own; 
therefore, would General Gates be willing to show his army to 
a staif officer selected by him for that purpose ? Should his 
report confirm the superior force of the American army, he 
would immediately sign the articles of capitulation. Major 
Kingston was the bearer of this letter, and returned with the 
answer of General Gates, to the effect, that he could assure 
him, upon his word of honor, that his army was of the same 
strength as it was at the time of his moving up to Saratoga ; 
that since that time, he had received a large accession by having 
been reinforced by a brigade ; that during the negotiation not 
a single post had been reduced ; and, finally, that to show one 
of our staif officers the strength of his army, would be as 
impolitic as it would be detrimental to his honor; and that it 
could not, therefore, be allowed. Further, that General Bur- 
goyne ought to think the matter well over before he broke his 
word of honor, and became answerable for the consequences. 
As soon, however, as the capitulation should be ratified, he 
would be prepared to show General Burgoyne his whole army ; 
and he pledged him his honor, that he would find it was four 
times stronger than his owu, not reckoning the troops posted 
opposite upon the other side of the Hudson. He could not, 
however, now grant him more than an hour's time for his an- 
swer ; and after the expiration of that time, he would be forced 
to take the most stringent measures. 

Upon this, the council of war was once more convoked to 
carefully consider the situation in all of its bearings; when it at 
once appeared, that those eight, who before were in favor of 
breaking the treaty, now were of j ust the contrary opinion . General 
Burgoyne drew Generals Kiedesel and Phillips off on one side, 
and begged their friendly counsel. At first both were silent, 
until, finally. General lliedescl declared, that if General Bur- 
goyne should be held answerable in England for his conduct, 
it could only bo for those movements which had brought the 



OF MliS. GENEEAL EIEDESEL. \\\ 

army into such a situation; for having made the first overtures 
for a capitulation, and for not having retreated earlier, a course 
which would have made him master of the communication with 
Fort George. But, that now, after all the steps which had 
been taken, to break the treaty on account of intelligence that 
was uncertain and not to be depended upon, he considered still 
more hazardous. Brigadier Hamilton, who had joined us, and 
had also been consulted, coincided in this opinion. General 
Phillips, however, said nothing, except that the situation of 
affairs was such, that he could neither give advice, nor discover 
any way out of our predicament. After much deliberation /j?'o and 
con, General Burgoyne, finally, determined to ratify, and there- 
upon the ratified capitulation was sent over by Major Kingston. 
On the 17th of October, the army marched ofi^, and every 
thing was performed according to the articles of capitulation. 
General Gates had his entire army, which was this side of the 
Hudson, marched over on to the opposite bank of the Fish kill. 
Some officers who were ordered to review it for the purpose of 
counting, found that it was between twenty-three and twenty- 
four thousand men strong. General Hiedesel ordered that 
none of the colors should be surrendered to the enemy with the 
arms; but that the staffs should be burned, and the cloths 
carefully packed up. These orders were strictly carried out, so 
that every cue of the German regiments retained its colors. 

The memoir from which the preceding is an extract, is dated 
at Stillwater, on the day after the capitulation at Saratoga — 
the 18th of October — and signed and attested by all those officers 
who were, at that time, commanders of the German regiments 
and battalions. As a supplement, it may here be added, that 
after the captured army had arrived at Cambridge, near Boston, 
the American congress did not ratify tlic stipulated article in 
the capitulation, that the troops should be shipped from Boston 
to England, and they were, therefore, obliged, contrary to the 
treaty, to remain in America as prisoners of war. 



112 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 

This point occasioned a great debate in congress. Upon the 
question whether, in regard to this particular article, the capi- 
tulation should be strictly adhered to, the votes were divided ; 
and it was only owing to the influence and insinuations of 
Greneral Lafayette — at that time with the Americans — that 
the affaij-, as already mentioned, was decided to the detriment 
of the English and German troops ; for he, easily foreseeing an 
impending rupture between England and France, wished to 
guard against the king of England having the use of this army 
elsewhere. To overcome all the scruples of congress, Lafayette 
cited the case of Kloster Seven, in the Seven Years' war, when 
the English allowed themselves to break the capitulation. 

When General Burgoyne brought forward the first rough 
draft of the capitulation, General Eiedesel advised him to 
propose rather to General Gates, that the troops should return 
to Canada without arms, and on the condition, that they should 
not serve during this war against the Americans unless ex- 
changed. But General Burgoyne was of the opinion it would 
be useless to think of it, as such a proposition would not be 
entertained by the enemy for a moment; and, therefore, pro- 
posed that the troops should be transported to Boston, and from 
there shipped to England. Afterwards, however, when this 
thing was talked over during the march, the adjutant general 
of General Gates, gave it as his opinion, that this stipulation 
would probably have been agreed to, as, on account of the great 
scarcity of provisions, they had been at their wits' ends to know 
how they should support the troops on the march to Boston. 
If, therefore, General Burgoyne had followed the advice of 
General Riedesel, this army would have been saved to England; 
could have been employed elsewhere ; and thus been spared the 
many hardships -^hich it afterward experienced. 



CONTmUATIOK OF MRS. GEJTERAL RIEDE- 
SEL'S ADVENTURES. 



When the army again moved, on the 11th of September, 
1777, it was at first intended to leave me behind; but upon my 
urgent entreaties, and as other ladies were to follow the army, I 
received, finally, the same permission. We made only small 
day's marches, and were very often sick; yet always contented 
at being allowed to follow. I had still the satisfaction of daily 
seeing my husband. A great part of my baggage I had sent 
back, and had kept only a small summer wardrobe. In the 
beginning all went well. We cherished the sweet hope of a 
sure victory, and of coming into the " promised land;" and 
when we passed the Hudson river, and General Burgoyne said, 
" The English never lose ground," our spirits were greatly 
exhilarated. But that which displeased me was, that the wives 
of all the officers belonging to the expedition, knew beforehand 
every thing that was to happen ; and this seemed the more 
singular to me, as I had observed, when in the armies of the 
Duke Ferdinand, during the Seven Years' war, with how much 
secrecy every thing was conducted.* But here, on the contrary. 



* Lieutenant Anburey made a similar remark, when the army was yet in Canada : 
" We have more dangerous enemies at home, than any we have to encounter abroad ; 
for all the transactions that are to take place, are publicly linown, long before they 
are oiHcially given out in orders ; and I make no doubt, but you will be as much 
surprised as the general [Burgoyne] was, when I tell you, that the whole operations 
of the ensuing campaign were canvassed for several days before he arrived, who no 

15 



114 LETTEIiS AND JOUENALS 

the Americans wore apprised beforehand of all our iutcutions; 
so that at every place where we came they already awaited us; 
a circumstance which hurt us exceedingly. On the 19th of 
September, there was an affair between the two armies, which, it is 
true, ended to our advantage ; although we were, nevertheless, 
obliged to make a halt at a place called Freeman's farm. I 
was an eye witness of the whole affair ; and as I knew that my 
husband was in the midst of it, I was full of care and anguish, 
and shivered at every shot, for I could hear every thing. I 
saw a great number of wounded, and what was still more har- 
rowing, they even brought three of them into the house where 
I was. One of these was Major Ilarnage, the husband of a 
lady of our company; another, a lieutenant, whose w'ife, also, 
was of our acquaintance; and the third, a young English officer 
of the name of Young. Major Ilarnage, with his wife, lived 
in a room next to mine. He had received a shot through 
the lower part of the bowels, from which he suffered exceed- 
ingly. A few days after our arrival, I heard plaintive moans 
in another room near me, and learned that they came from 
Young, the young English officer just mentioned, who was 
lying very low. 

I Avas the more interested in him, since a family of that name 
had shown me much courtesy during my sojourn in England. 
I tendered him my services, and sent him provisions and re- 



doubt supposed that in giving out his orders, lie was communicating an entire 
secret. * * * Great secrecy, on the contrary, was observed in the 
American army."— Montreal, May 20, 1~TT, vol. I, p. 203. The work from which this 
extract is taken, is in the State Library, at Albany, N. Y. 

A passage, also, from the History of the Oerman Av-vilianes in America — an in- 
valuable work, by the way, as it is made up of the manuscript journals of those 
oflicers and privates who served in the war — explains the reason of this want of 
secrecy more fully. "The country people, whom Burgoyne met on his march, 
pretended to be good royalists, which he implicitly believed ; so that he allowed 
them not only to bear their arms as hitherto, but to walk about the whole camp at 
their option, and without any restraint. These men, however, were anything but 
royalists. They, consequently, improved the opportunity, gaining intelligence of 
all the occurrences in the army by appearances, and forthwith communicated to 
the couDuanders of the enemy's forces, that which they had seen and heard." 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 115 

freshments. He expressed a great desire to see liis benefactress, 
as lie called me. I went to liini, and found him lying on a 
little straw, for he had lost his camp equipage. He was a 
young man, probably eighteen or nineteen years old ; and, 
actually, the own nephew of the Mr. Young, whom I had known, 
and the only son of his parents. It was only for this reason 
that he grieved ; on account of his own sufferings he uttered 
no complaint. He had bled considerably, and they wished to 
take off his leg, but he could not bring his mind to it, and now 
mortification had set in. I sent him pillows and coverings, 
and my women servants a mattress. I redoubled my care of 
him, and visited him every day, for which I received from 
the sufferer a thousand blessings. Finally, they attempted the 
amputation of the limb, but it was too late, and he died a few 
days afterward. As he occupied an apartment close to mine, 
and the walls were very thin, I could hear his last groans 
through the partition of my room. 

I lived in a pretty well built house, in which I had a large 
room. The doors and the wainscot were of solid cedar, a wood 
that is very common in this vicinity. They burn it frequently, 
especially when there are many midges around, as these insects 
cannot stand the odor of it. It is said, however, that its smoke 
is very injurious to the nerves, so much so, indeed, as to cause 
women with child to bring forth prematurely. As we were to 
march farther, I had a large calash made for me, in which I, 
my children, and both my women servants had seats; and 
in this manner I followed the army, in the midst of the soldiers, 
who were merry, singing songs, and burning with a desire for 
victory. We passed through boundless forests and magnificent 
tracts of country, which, however, were abandoned by all the 
inhabitants, who fled before us, and reinforced the army of the 
American general. Gates. In the sequel this cost us dearly, 
for every one of them was a soldier by nature, and could shoot 
very well ) besides, the thought of fighting for their fatherland 
and their freedom, inspired them with still greater courage. 



116 LETTEB8 AND JOURNALS. 

During tliis time, my husband was obliged to encamp with the 
main body of the army. I remained about an hour's march 
behind the army, and visited my husband every morning in the 
camp. Very often I took my noon meal with him, but most of 
the time he came over to my quarters and eat with me. The 
army were engaged daily in small skirmishes, but all of them 
of little consequence. My poor husband, however, during the 
whole time, could not get a chance either to go to bed or 
undress. As the season had now become more inclement, a 
Colonel Williams of the artillery, observing that our mutual 
visits were very fatiguing, offered to have a house built for me, 
with a chimney, that should not cost more than five or six gui- 
neas, and which I could steadily occupy. I took him up,* and 
the house, which was twenty feet square, and had a good fire- 
place, was begun. They called it the block-house. For such 
a structure, large trees of equal thickness are selected, which 
are joined together, making it very durable and warm, espe- 
cially if covered with clay. I was to remove into it the follow- 
ing day, and was the more rejoiced at it, as the nights were 
already damp and cold, and my husband could live in it with 
me, as he would then be very near his camp. Suddenly, how- 
ever, on the 7th of October, my husband, with the whole general 
staff, decamped. Our misfortunes may be said to date from this 
moment. I had just sat down with my husband at his quarters 
to breakfast. General Frazer, and, I believe. Generals Burgoyne 
and Phillips, also, were to have dined with me on that same 
day. I observed considerable movement among the troops. 
My husband thereupon informed me, that there was to be a 
reconnoissance, which, however, did not surprise me, as this 
often happened. On my way homeward, I met many savages 
in their war-dress, armed with guns. To my question where 
they were going, they cried out to me, " War ! war ! " which 
meant that they were going to fight. This completely over- 



' A genuine Yankee expression, but, nevertheless, literally so in the original. 



LETTERS AND JOVRNALS. HQ 

•wlielnicd ino, and I liad scarcely <;•(>(. back to my quiirters,* 
when I heard skinnishiu^', and firing, which by degrees, became 
constantly heavier-, until, finally, the noises became frightful. 
It was a terrible cannonade, and I was more dead than alive. 
About three o'clock in the afternoon, in placo of the guests 
who were to have dined with me, they brought in to me, upon a 
litter, poor Ccneral Frazcr (one of my expected guests), mor- 
tally wounded. Our dining table, which was already spread, 
was taken away, and in its place they fixed up a bod for the 
general. I sat in a corner of the room trembling and quaking. 
The noises grew continually louder. The thought that they 
might bring in my husband in the same manner was to me 
dreadful, and tormented me incessantly. The general said 
to the surgeon, " ])o not conceal any thing from me. Must I 
die ? " The ball had gone through his bowels, prc-isely as 
in the case of Major Harnage. Unfortunately, however, the 
general had eaten a hearty breakfast, by reason of which the 
intestines were distended, and the ball, so the surgeon said, had 
not gone, as in the case of ]Major Ilarnage, between the intes- 
tines, but through them. I heard him often, amidst his groans, 
exclaim, " Oh, fatal ambition ! I^oor General IJurgoyne ! My 
poor wife ! " Prayers were read to him. He then sent a mes- 
sage to Gicueral Eurgoyne, bogging that he would have him 
buried the following day at six o'clock in the evening, on the 



* The quarters wliioh Mrs. liicdoscl llicii occiipii'd, ami in wliicli (Jcuenil Fnizor 
died, has Bincc been known us the Smith House, and Tuust not be eonfounded (iw 
has sometimes been done) wilh the hcii(l-(]uai't('rs of ]iure;oyne, in which tlio 
baroness had tliat morning taken breakfast with lier husband. It was situated 
three miles and a half south of Fish creek, and, at the time of the battle, stood by 
the roadside, on the west margin of the intervales, at the foot of the rising ground. 
When, some years afterward, the present turnpike road was constructed, running 
twenty or thirty rods east of the old road, the latter was discontinued, and Mr. 
Smith drew the house to the west side of the turnpike, and turned it into a tavern. 
The late Theodore Dwight (who was killed on the New Jersey rail road, in October 
of last year, 18(i0), visited the si)ot iu 1820, and made a drawing of the house, which 
was then still stariding. Through his kindness, I received from him, but three 
days before his death, liis original draft, from wliicli the engraving, on the oi)posito 
page, has been taken. 



;^20 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

top of a lull, which was a sort of a redoubt.* I kucw no longer 
which way to turn. The whole entry and the other rooms were 
filled with the sick, who were suffering with the camp- sickness, 
a kind of dysentery. Finally, toward evening, I saw uiy hus- 
band coming, upon which I forgot all my sufferings, and thanked 
God that he had spared him to me. He ate in great haste with 
me and his adjutant, behind the house. AVe had been told 
that we had gained an advantage over the enemy, but the 
sorrowful and down-cast faces which I beheld, bore witness to 
the contrary, and before my husband again went away, he drew 
me one side and told me that every thing might go I very badly, 
and that I must keep myself in constant readiness for departure, 
but by no means to give any one the least iukliug of what I 
was doing. I therefore pretended that I wished to move into 
my new house the next morning, and had every thing packed 
up. My lady Ackland occupied a tent not ftir from our house. 
In this she slept, but during the day was in the camp. Sud- 
denly one came to tell her that her husband was mortally 
wounded, and had been taken prisoner. At this she became 
very wretched. AVe comforted her by saying that it was only 
a slight wound, but as no one could nurse him as well as her- 
self, we counseled her to go at once to him, to do which she 
could certainly obtain permission. She loved him very much, 
although he was a plain, rough man, and was almost daily 
intoxicated; with this exception, however, he was an excellent 
othcor. She was the loveliest of women. I spent the night in 
this manner — at one time comforting her, and at another looking 
al'tcr my children, whom I had put to bed. As for myself, I 
could not go to sleep, as I had General Frazer and all the other 
gentlemen in my room, and was constantly afraid that my 



• In his State of the Expedition, Burgoyuc speaks of it as the Great Redoubt. 

t The teuse used in the original answers to our imperfect potential (as in the text), 
and uot the imperfect indicative ( " went " ) as in the previous Enj;lish translation. 
This is uot so unimportant as might at tirst appear; since it shows how extremely- 
cautious Geuonil Kiedcsel was — even when speaking to his wife — of saying any 
thing, that hy any possibility might injure the cause, before the action was ended. 



OF MnS. GEXEItAL EIEDESEL. 121 

children would wake i;p and cry, and thus disturb the poor dyin^- 
man, who often sent to beg my pardon for making me so much 
trouble. About three o'clock in the morning, they told me 
that he could not last much longer. I had desired to be ap- 
prised of the approach of this moment. I, accordingly, wrapped 
up the children in the bed coverings, and went with them into 
the entry. Early in the morning, at eight o'clock, he expired.* 
After they had washed the corpse, they wrapped it in a sheet, 
and laid it on a bedstead. We then again came into the room, 
and had this sad sight before us the whole day. At every 
instant, also, wounded officers of my acquaintance arrived, and 
the cannonade again began. A retreat was spoken of, but 
there was not the least movement made toward it. About four 
o'clock in the afternoon, I saw the new house which had been 
built for me, in flames : the enemy, therefore, were not far from 
us. We learned that General Burgoyne intended to fulfill the 
last wish of Greneral Frazer, and to have him buried at six 
o'clock, in the place designated by him. This occasioned an 
unnecessary delay, to which a part of the misfortunes of the 
army was owing. Precisely at six o'clock the corpse was 
brought out, and we saw the entire body of generals with their 
retinues on the hill assisting at the obsequies. The English 
chaplain, Mr. Brudonel, performed the funeral services. The 
cannon balls flew continually around and over the party. The 
American general. Gates, afterward said, that if he had known 
that it was a burial he would not have allowed any firing in 
that direction. Many cannon balls also flew not far from me, 
but I had my eyes fixed upon the hill,"}" where I distinctly saw 



* " Never more shall ho chase the red deer through the heather of Strutli Kvrick, 
or guide the skiff across the fathomless lake of central Scotland, or muse over the 
ruin of the Stuarts on the moor of Drum-mossie, or dream of glory beside the 
crystal waters of the Ness. Death in itself is not terrible ; but he came to Ame- 
rica for selfish advancement, and though bravely true as a soldier, he died uncon- 
so\(id.''— Bancroft's lielation of the Death of Frazer, Vol. IX, p. 419. 

tThe height occupied by Burgoyne on the 18th, which ran ))arallel witli the 
river until it approached General Gates's camp. 

16 



122 LET TEES AND JOURNALS 

my liusband in the midst of the enemy's fire, and therefore I 
could not think of my own danger.* 

The order had gone forth that the army should break up 
. after the burial, and the horses were already harnessed to our 
calashes. I did not wish to set out before the troops. The 
wounded Major Harnage, although he was so ill, dragged him- 
self out of bed, that he might not remain in the hospital, which 
was left behind protected by a flag of truce. As soon as he' 
observed me in the midst of the danger, he had my children 
and maid servants put into the calashes, and intimated to me 
that I must immediately depart. As I still begged to be al- 
lowed to remain, he said to me, " well, then your children at 
least must go, that I may save them from the slightest danger." 
He understood how to take advantage of my weak side. I gave 
it up, seated myself inside with them, and we drove off at eight 
o'clock in the evening. 

The greatest silence had been enjoined; fires had been kin- 
dled in every direction ; and many tents left standing, to make 
the enemy believe that the camp was still there. We traveled 
continually the whole night. Little Frederica was afraid, and 
would often begin to cry. I was, therefore, obliged to hold a 
pocket handkerchief over her mouth, lest our whereabouts 
should be discovered. 

At six o'clock in the morning a halt was made, at which 
every one wondered. General Burgoyne had all the cannon 



* General Burgoyne, in his State of the Expedition, p. 169, describes this scene, 
in his usually felicitous style, as follows : 

"The incessant cannonade during the solemnity; the steady attitude and unal- 
tered voice with which the chaplain offlciated, though frequently covered with 
dust, which the shot threw up on all sides of him ; the mute but expressive mixture 
of sensibility and indignation upon every countenance; these objects will remain 
to the last of life upon the mind of eveiy man who was present. The growing 
duskiness added to the scenery, and the whole marked a character of that juncture 
that would make one of the finest subjects for the pencil of a master that the field 
ever exhilntert. To the canvas, and to the faithful page of a more important his- 
torian, gallant friend ! I consign thy memory. There may thy talents, thy manly 
virtues, their progress, and their period, find due distinction ; and long may they 
survive, long alter the frail record of my pen shall be forgotten ! " 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 123 

ranged and counted, wliieh worried all of us, as a few more 
good marches would have placed us in security.* My husband 
was completely exhausted, and seated himself during this delay, 
in my calash, where my maid servants were obliged to make 
room for him; and where he slept nearly three hours with his 
head upon" my shoulder. In the mean time. Captain Willoe 
brought me his pocket-book containing bank bills, and Captain 
Geismar, his beautiful watch, a ring, and a well filled purse, 
and begged me to keep all these for them. I promised them 
to do my utmost. At last, the army again began its march, but 
scarcely had we proceeded an hour on the way, when a fresh 
halt was made, in consequence of the enemy being in sight. 
They were about two hundred men who came to reconnoitre, 
and who might easily have been taken prisoners by our troops, 
had not General Burgoyne lost his head.f It rained in torrents. 
My lady Ackland had her tent set up. I advised her once 
more to betake herself to her husband, as she could be so useful 
to him in his present situation. Finally, she yielded to my 
solicitations, and sent a message to General Burgoyne, through 
his adjutant, my Lord Patterson, J begging permission to leave 
the camp. I told her that she should insist on it ; which she 
did, and finally obtained his consent. The English chaplain, 
Mr. Brudenel, accompanied her; and, bearing a flag of truce, 
they went together in a boat over to the enemy. § There is a 



* General Burgoyne explains his reason for this halt differently. "A halt was 
necessary to refresh the troops, and to give time to the bateaux, loaded with provi- 
sions, which had not been able to keep pace with the troops, to come abreast."— 
State of the Expedition, p. 170. 

tl. e., lost his presence of mind. 

X General Burgoyne's three aid-de-camps were Captain Lord Petersham, Lieu- 
tenantWilford, and Charles Green. The parole of Burgoyne' s otficers — the ori- 
ginal of which is in the possession of J. Wiugate Thornton, Esq., of Boston, Mass. — 
makes no mention of any otHcer by the name of Patterson. Mrs. Riedesel, whose 
spelling of English names is naturally not always accurate, probably means Lord 
Petersham, who was afterward Earl of Harrington, Viscount Petersham, and in 
1798, lieutenant general in the British army. 

§ The gallant bearing of the answer, which General Gates returned, by Chaplain 
Brudenel, to the letter which Burgoyne sent him by Lady Ackland, recommending 



124 LETTEES AND JOURNALS 

familiar and boautirul engraviiii;' oC tliis event in existence. I 
SJiw her agaiu afterward in Albany, at which time her husband 
was almost entirely recovered, and both thanked me heartily 
for my advice. 

On the 9th, we spent the whole day in a pouring rain, ready 
to nnirch at a moment's warning. The savages had lost their 
courage, and they were seen in all directions going home. The 
slightest reverse of fortune discouraged them, especially if 
there was nothing to plunder. 3Iy chambermaid did nothing, 
cursed her situation, and tore out her hair. I entreated her to 
compose herself, or else she would be taken for a savage. Upon 
this she became still more frantic, and asked, '< whether that 
would trouble me ? " And when I answered " yes," she tore her 
bonnet off her head, letting heY hair hang down over her face, 
and said, " You talk well! You have your husband 1 But we 
have nothing to look forward to, except dying miserably on the 
one hand, or losing all we possess on the other !" llespecting 
this last complaint, I promised, in order to <|uict her, that I 



her to the protection of the AmericAu commander, redounds so much to the honor, 
spirit, nnd hiyhnuudedness of the vriter, that it is here given entire. The letter, 
itself, is not, we believe. j:ei\erally known. 

Sar-VTOOa, Oct. lltfi, 1777. 
Sir : I have the honor to receive your excellency's letter by Lady Ackland. The 
respect due to her ladyship's rank, and the tenderness due to her person and sex, 
were alone snflieient securities to entitle her to my protection, if you consider my 
jtreeeiling conduct with respect to those of your army whom the fortune of war has 
placed iu my hands. I am surprised that your excellency should think that I could 
consider the greatest attention to Lady Ackland in the light of an obligation. The 
cruellies which mark the retreat of your army, in burning gentlemen's and farmers' 
houses as they pass along, is almost, among civilized nations, without a precedent. 
They should not endeavor to ruin those they eouM not conquer. This conduct 
betrays more of the vindictive malice of a bigot, than the generosity of a soldier. 
Your friend. Sir Francis Clark, by the information of the director-general of my 
hospiial, languishes under a dangerous wound. Every sort of tenderness and 
altentiou is paid to him as well as to all the wounded who have lidleu into my 
hands, nnd the hospital, which you were obliged to leave to my mercy, 

* * ***♦****♦ 

lam, Sir, 

Yours, 

IIoKATio Gates. 
To GeuenU Burgoyue. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 125 

would make gdod all the losses of licrsclf and the other maid. 
The latter, my good Lena, although also very much frightened, 
said nothing. 

Toward evening, we at last came to Saratoga, which was only 
lialf an hour's march from the place where we had spent the 
whole day. I %as wet through and through by the irequent 
rains, and was obliged to remain in this condition the entire 
night, as I had no place whatever where I could change my 
linen. I, therefore, seated myself before a good fire, and un- 
dressed my children ; after which, we laid ourselves down 
together upon some straw. I asked General Phillips,* who 
came up to where we were, why we did not continue our retreat 
while there was yet time, as my husband had pledged himself 
to cover it, and bring the army through ? '' Poor woman," an- 
swered he, "I am amazed at you ! completely wet through, 
have you still the courage to wish to go further in this weather I 
Would that you were only our commanding general ! He halts 
because he is tired, and intends to spend the night here and 
give us a supper." In this latter achievement, especially, 
General ]Jurgoyne was very fond of indulging. He spent half 
the nights in singing and drinking, and amusing himself with 
the wife of a commissary, who was his mistress, and who, as 
well as he, loved champagne. f 

On the 10th, at seven o'clock in the morning, I drank some 



* General Phillips, who is described by his contemporaries as an " honorable, just, 
and uprii^ht man," was an old and intimate friend of General Riedesel, with whom 
he had fought on the side of the allies in the Seven Years' war. 

t " While the army were suffering from cold and hunger, and every one was look- 
ing forward to the immediate future with apprehension, Schuyler's house was 
illuminated, and rung with singing, laughter, and the jingling of glasses. There 
Burgoyne was sitting, with some merry companions, at a dainty supper, while the 
champagne was flowing. Near him sat the beautiful wife of an English commis- 
sary, his mistress. Great as the cjilamity was, the frivolous general still kept up 
his orgies. Some were of opinion that he had made that inexcusable stand, merely 
for the sake of passing a merry night. Riedesel thought it incumbent on him to 
remind Burgoyne of the danger of the halt, but the latter ret urncil all sorts of cnu- 
sive answers."— The German Auxiliaries in America. 



126 LETTERS AND JOUJiNALS 

tea by way of rcfi-oslunout; aiul we now hoped IVoiii one moment 
to another, that at last we would again get under way. Gene- 
ral Burgoyue, in order to cover our retreat, caused the beautiful 
liouses and mills at Saratoga, belonging to Ceueral Schuyler, to 
be burned. An English officer brought some excellent broth, 
which he shared with me, as I was uot able to ^f use his urgent 
entreaties. Thereupou we set out upon our march, but only as 
far as another place not far from where we had started. The 
greatest misery and the utmost disorder prevailed in the army.* 
The commissaries had forgotten to distribute provisions among 
the troops. There were cattle enough, but uot one had been 
killed. More than thirty officers came to me, who could endure 
hunger no longer. I had coffee and tea made for tbem, and 
divided among them all the provisions with which my carriage 
was constantly filled; for we had a cook who, although au 
arrant knave, was fruitful in all expedients, and often in the 
night crossed small rivers, iu order to steal from the country 
people, sheep, poultry and pigs. He would then charge us a 
high price for them — a circumstance, however, that we only 
learned a long time afterward. At last my provisions were 
exhausted, and in despair at not being able to be of any further 
help, I called to me Adjutant Ceneral Paiterson,| who hap- 
pened at that moment to be passing by, and said to him pas- 
sionately : "C^ome and see for yourself these officers, who have 
been wounded in the common cause, and who now arc in want 
of every thing, because they do not receive that which is due 
them. It is, therefore, your duty to make a representation of 
this to the general. " At this ho was deeply moved, and the result 
was, that, a ((uartor of an lu)ur afterward. General Eurgoyne 
came to me hinisolf and thanked mo very pathetically for hav- 



* Oeiioral M'ilkinson, who had the piivilejro of kiiowinsj Jladame Ricdcsel per- 
sonally, calls lior tho "ainiablo. tlio aoconiplishod, and dignified baroness." "I 
have more than once," says ho, "seen her charniini; blue eyes bedewed with tears 
at the recital of her sufterinss." 

+ See note on page ViZ. 



OF MES. OEXERAL BIEDESEL. 127 

ing reiuiiidod him of liis duty, llo added, luorcovov, tliut ;i 
general was much to be pitied when lie was not properly served 
nor his commands obeyed. I replied, that I begged his pardon 
for having meddled with things which, I well knew, a woman 
had no business with, but that it was impossible to keep silent, 
when I saw so many brave men in want of every thing, and had 
nothing more to give them. Thereupon he thanked me once 
more (although I believe that in his heart he has never forgiven 
me this lashing), and went from me to the officers, and said to 
them, that he was very sorry for what had happened, but he 
had now through an order remedied every thing, but why had 
they not come to him as his cook stood always at their service. 
They answered that English officers were not accustomed to 
visit the kitchen of their general, and that they had received 
any morsel from me with pleasure, as they were convinced I 
had given it to them directly from my heart. He then gave the 
most express orders that the provisions should be properly 
distributed. This only hindered us anew, besides not in the 
least bettering our situation. The general seated himself at 
table, and the horses were harnessed to our calashes ready for 
departure. The whole army clamored for a retreat, and my 
husband promised to make it possible, provided only that no 
time was lost. But General Burgoyne, to whom an order had 
been promised if he brought about a junction with the army of 
General Howe, could not determine upon this course, and lost 
every thing by his loitering. About two o'clock in the after- 
noon, the firing of cannon and small arms was again heard, and 
all was alanii and confusion. My husband sent me a message 
telling me to betake myself forthwith into a house which was 
not far from there. I seated myself in the calash with my 
children, and had scarcely driven up to the house, when I saw 
on the opposite side of the Hudson river, five or six men with 
guns, which were aimed at us. Almost involuntarily I threw the 
children on the bottom of the calash and myself over them. 
At the same instant the churls fired, and shattered the arm of 



^■Ct 



128 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

a poor Eni;lisli soldier beliiud us. who was already wounded, 
and was also on the point of retreating into tlie house. - Imme- 
diately after our arrival a frightful cannonade began, principally 
directed agtiinst the house in which we had sought shelter, 
probably because the enemy believed, from seeing so many 
people flocking around it, that all the generals made it their 
head-quarters. Alas! it harbored none but wounded soldiers, 
or women ! We were finally obliged to take refuge in a cellar, 
in which I laid myself down in a corner not far from the door. 
My children laid down on the earth with their heads upon my 
lap, and in this manner we passed the entire night. A horrible 
stench, the cries of the children, and yet more than all this, 
my own anguish, prevented me from closing my eyes. On the 
following morning the cannonade again began, but from a dif- 
ferent side. I advised all to go out of the cellar for a little 
while, during which time I would have it cleaned, as otherwise 
we would all be sick. They followed my suggestion, and I at 
once set many hands to work, which was in the highest degree 
necessary ; for the women and children being afraid to venture 
forth, had soiled the whole cellar.* After they had all gone 
out and left me alone, I for the first time surveyed our place of 



* " In one of these dens of wretcbeduess, in a cellar, there was, also. Lady Riedesel 
with hev tender infants aud waiting-women, amidst the sutferiug and despairing. 
The dismal space was thronged, and the air, in consequence of the evaporations 
and the smell of carious wounds, quite infected. To the appalling objects around 
her was added her anxiety for her husband and the care for her little ones. In 
this dreadful situation — in this terrible den of affliction — the extraordinary Ger- 
man woman preserved her courage and her compassion. She acted then the part 
of an angel of comfort and help among the suilerers. She refreshed them with what 
she had left of provisions, aud almost forgot to take care of those who were nearest 
to her. She was ready to perform every friendly service, even such from which the 
tender mind of a woman will recoil. By her energy she restored order in that 
chaos, and superintended the cleaning of the cellar as far as circumstances would 
allow. They obeyed her more readily than their superior officers."— The German 
Auxiliaries in Amenca. 

On the opposite page will be found an engraving of tlje house and cellar, furnished 
me by the kindness and courtesy of Mr. Lossing, and Mr. Yorsten, the publisher of 
the former's beautiful book of The Hudson. The house and cellar were sketched 
by Mr. Lossing on the spot, before they were allowed by the farmers in the vicinity 
to go to ruin. 




Present (1807) appearance of the house, in tlic cellar of which, 
Mrs. Riedesel stayed during the cannonade. 




OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 129 

refuge. It consisted of tliree beautiful cellars, splendidly 
arched. I proposed that the most dangerously wounded of the 
officers should be brought into one of them ; that the women 
should remain in another ; and that all the rest should stay in 
the third, which was nearest the entrance. I had just given 
the cellars a good sweeping, and had fumigated them by sprink- 
ling vinegar on burning coals, and each one had found his 
place prepared for him — when a fresh and terrible cannonade 
threw us all once more into alarm. Many persons, who had no 
right to come in, threw themselves against the door. , My 
children were already under the cellar steps, and we would all 
have been crushed, if Grod had not given me strength to place 
myself before the door, and with extended arms prevent all 
from coming in ; otherwise every one of us would have been 
severely injured. Eleven cannon balls went through the house, 
and we could plainly hear them rolling over our heads. One 
poor soldier, whose leg they were about to amputate, having been 
laid upon a table for this purpose, had the other leg taken off 
by another cannon ball, in the very middle of the operation.* 
His comrades all ran off, and when they again came back they 
found him in one corner of the room, where he had rolled in 
his anguish, scarcely breathing. I was more dead than alive, 
though not so much on account of our own danger, as for that 
which enveloped my husband, who, however, frequently sent to 
see how I was getting along, and to tell me that he was still 
safe, 

The wife of Major Harnage, a Madame Reynels, the wife of 
the good lieutenant who the day previous had so kindly shai-ed 
his broth with me, the wife of the commissary, and myself, were 
the only ladies who were with the army.f We sat together 



* This unfortunate man was a British surgeon by the name of Jones. The can- 
non ball entered the northeast corner of the wall, and the hole was still visible 
until the house was allowed to fall to decay, a few years since. 

t Lady Harriet Ackland, it will be recollected, had gone to the American camp to 
nurse her husband. 

17 



130 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

bewailing our fate, when one came in, upon whicTi they all 
began whispering, looking at the same time exceedingly sad, 
I noticed this, and also that they cast silent glances toward me. 
This awakened in my mind the dreadful thought that my hus- 
band had been killed. I shrieked aloud, but they assured me 
that this was not so, at the same time intimating to me by signs, 
that it was the lieutenant — the husband of our companion — 
who had met with misfortune. A moment after she was called 
out. Her husband was not yet dead, but a cannon ball had 
taken oif his arm close to the shoulder. During the whole 
night we heard his moans, which resounded fearfully through 
the vaulted cellars. The poor man died toward morning. We 
spent the remainder of this night in the same way as the former 
ones. In the mean time my husband came to visit me, which 
lightened my anxiety and gave me fresh courage. On the fol- 
lowing morning, however, we got things better regulated. 
Major Harnage, his wife, and Mrs. Reynels, made a little room 
in a corner, by hanging curtains from the ceiling. They wished 
to fix up for me another corner in the same manner, but I pre- 
ferred to remain near the door, so that in ease of fire I could 
rush out from the room. I had some straw brought in and laid 
my bed upon it, where I slept with my children — my maids 
sleeping not far from us. Directly opposite us three English 
officers were quartered — wounded, it is true, but, nevertheless, 
resolved not to be left behind in case of a retreat. One of these 
was a Captain Green, aid-dc-camp of General Phillips, a very 
valuable and agreeable man. All three assured me, upon their 
oatbs, that iu case of a hasty retreat, they would not leave me, 
but would each take one of my children upon his horse. For 
myself, one of my husband's horses constantly stood saddled 
and in readiness. Often my husband wished to withdraw me 
from danger by sending me to the Americans; but I remon- 
strated with him on the ground, that to be with people whom I 
would be obliged to treat with courtesy, while, perhaps, my 
husband was being killed by them, would be even yet more 



OF MRS. GENERAL BIEDESEL. 131 

paiuful tlian all I was now forced to suffer. He promised me, 
therefore, that I should heaceforward follow the army. Never- 
theless, I was often in the night filled with anxiety lest he should 
march away. At such times, I have crept out of my cellar to re- 
assure myself, and if I saw the troops lying around the fires (for 
the nights were already cold), I would return and sleep quietly. 
The articles which had been intrusted to me caused me much 
uneasiness. I had fastened them inside of my corsets, as I was 
in constant terror lest I should lose some of them, and I resolved 
in future never to undertake such a commission again. On the 
third day, I found an opportunity for the first time to change 
my linen, as my companions had the courtesy to give up to me 
a little corner — the three wounded ofiicers, meanwhile, standing 
guard not far off. One of these gentlemen could imitate very 
naturally the bellowing of a cow, and the bleating of a calf; 
and if my little daughter Frederica, cried during the night, he 
would mimic these animals, and she would at once become still, 
at which we all laughed heartily. 

Our cook saw to our meals, but we were in want of water ; 
and in order to quench thirst, I was often obliged to drink 
wine, and give it, also, to the children. It was, moreover, the 
only thing that my husband could take, which fact so worked 
upon our faithful Rockel, that he said to me one day, " I fear 
that the general drinks so much wine, because he dreads falling 
into captivity, and is therefore weary of life." The continual 
danger in which my husband was encompassed, was a constant 
source of anxiety to me. I was the only one of all the women, 
whose husband had not been killed or wounded, and I often 
said to myself^ especially since my husband was placed in 
such great danger day and night — " Shall I be the only fortu- 
nate one?" He never came into the tent at night; but lay 
outside by the watch-fires. This alone was sufficient to have 
caused his death, as the nights were damp and cold. 

As the great scarcity of water continued, we at last found a 
soldier's wife who had the courage to bring water from the 



132 LETTERS AND J URNALS 

river, for no one else would undertake it, as the enemy shot at 
the head of every man who approached the river, f This woman, 
however, they never molested ; and they told us afterward, that 
they spared-her on account of her sex. 

I endeavored to divert my miud from my troubles, by con- 
stantly busying myself with the wounded. I made them tea 
and coflFee, and received in return a thousand benedictions. 
Often, also, I shared my noonday meal with them. One day a 
Canadian officer came into our cellar, who could scarcely stand 
up. We at last got it out of him, that he was almost dead with 
hunger. I considered myself very fortunate to have it in my 
power to offer him my mess. This gave him renewed strength, 
and gained for me his friendship. Afterward, upon our return 
to Canada, I learned to know his family. One of our greatest 
annoyances was the stench of the wounds when they began to 
suppurate. 

One day I undertook the care of Major Plumpfield,* adjutant 
of General Phillips, through both of whose cheeks a small musket 
ball had passed, shattering his teeth and grazing his tongue. 
He could hold nothing whatever in his mouth. The matter 
from the wound almost choked him, and he was unable to take 
any other nourishment, except a little broth, or something- 
liquid. We had llhine wine. I gave him a bottle of it, in 
hopes that the acidity of the wine would cleanse his wound. He 
kept some continually in his mouth ; and that alone acted so 
beneficially that he became cured, and I again acquired one more 
friend. Thus, in the midst of my hours of care and suffering, 
I derived a joyful satisfaction, which made me very happy. 

On one of these sorrowful days. General Phillips, having 
expressed a desire to visit me, accompanied my husband, who, 
at the risk of his own life, came once or twice daily to see me. 



♦Probably Captain Thomas Blomefiekl. This officer, according to Goncr.il Wil- 
kinson, was, in 181G, member of parliament for Plj'mouth, major general in the 
army, lieutenant colonel of the royal artillery, chief equerry, and marshal to the 
king. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 133 

He saw our situation, and heard me earnestly beg my husband 
not to leave me behind in case of a hasty retreat. Then, as he 
marked my great reluctance to fall into the hands of the Ameri- 
cans, he spoke in my behalf; and as he was going away he said 
to my husband, " No ! not for ten thousand guineas would I 
come here again, for my heart is entirely, entirely broken !" 

Not all of those, however, who were with us deserved our 
compassion. There were, also, poltroons in our little company, 
who ought not to have remained in the cellar, and who after- 
wards, when we became prisoners, took their places in the ranks 
and could parade perfectly well. In this horrible situation we 
remained six days. Finally, they spoke of capitulating, as by 
temporizing for so long a time, our retreat had been cut off. A 
cessation of hostilities took place, and my husband, who was 
thoroughly worn out, was able, for the first time in a long while, 
to lie down upon a bed. In order that his rest might not be in 
the least disturbed, I had a good bed made up for him in a 
little room; while I, with my children and both my maids, laid 
down in a little parlor close by. But about one o'clock in the 
night, some one came and asked to speak to him. It was with 
the greatest reluctance that I found myself obliged to awaken 
him. I observed that the message did not please him, as he 
immediately sent the man back to head-([uarters, and laid him- 
self down again considerably out of humor. Soon after this. 
General Burgoyne requested the presence of all the generals 
and staff officers at a council- of-war, which was to be held early 
the next morning; in which he proposed to break the capitu- 
lation, already made with the enemy, in consequence of some 
false information just received. It was, however, finally de- 
cided, that this was neither practicable nor advisable; and this 
was fortunate for us, as the Americans said to us afterwards, 
that had the capitulation been broken we all would have been 
massacred ; which they could have done the more easily, as we 
were not over four or five thousand men strong, and had given 
them time to bring together more than twenty thousand. 



134 LETTERS AXD JOUEXALS 

On the morning of the 16th of October, my husband was 
again obliged to go to his post, and I once more into my cellar. 

On this day, a large amount of fresh meat was distributed 
among the officers, who, up to this time, had received only 
salted provisions, which had exceedingly aggravated the wounds 
of the men. The good woman who constantly supplied us with 
water, made us capital soup from the fresh meat. I had lost 
all appetite, and had the whole time taken nothing but crusts 
of bread dipped in wine. The wounded officers, my companions 
in misfortune, cut off the best piece of the beef and presented 
it to me, with a plate of soup. I said to them that I was not able 
to eat any thing, but as they saw that it was absolutely neces- 
sary I should take some nourishment, they declared that they 
themselves would not touch a morsel until I had given them 
the satisfaction of taking some. I could not longer withstand 
their friendly entreaties, upon which they assured me that it 
made them very happy to be able to offer me the first good 
thing which they themselves enjoyed. 

On the 17th of October the capitulation was consummated. 
The generals waited upon the American general-in-chief, Gates, 
and the troops laid down their arms, and surrendered them- 
selves prisoners of war. Now the good woman, who had brought 
us water at the risk of her life, received the reward of her ser- 
vices. Every one threw a whole handful of money into her 
apron, and she received altogether over twenty guineas. At 
such a moment, the heart seems to Be specially susceptible to 
feelings of gratitude. 

At last, my husband sent to me a groom with a message that 
I should come to him with our children. I, therefore, again 
seated myself in my dear calash ; and, in the passage through 
the American camp, I observed, with great satisfaction, that no 
one cast at us scornful glances. On the contrary, they all 
greeted me, even showing compassion on their countenances at 
seeing a mother with her little children in such a situation. I 
confess that I feared to come into the enemy's camp, as the 



OF MRS. GEXEEAL RIEDESEL. 135 

thing was so entirely new to me. When I approached the 
tents, a noble looking man came toward mo, took the children 
out of the wagon, embraced and kissed them, and then with 
tears in his eyes helped me also to alight. " You tremble," 
said he to me, " fear nothing." " No," replied I, " for you are so 
kind, and have been so tender toward my children, that it has 
inspired me with courage." He then led me to the tent of 
General Gates, with whom I found Generals Burgoyue and 
Phillips, who were upon an extremely friendly footing with 
him. Burgoyne said to me, " You may now dismiss all your 
apprehensions, for your sufferings are at an end." I answered 
him, that I should certainly be acting very wrongly to have 
any more anxiety, when our chief had none, and especially 
when I saw him on such a friendly footing with General Gates. 
All the generals remained to dine with General Gates. The 
man, who had received me so kindly, came up and said to me, " It 
may be embarrassing to you to dine with all these gentlemen ; 
come now with your children into my tent, where I will give 
you, it is true, a frugal meal, but one that will be accompanied 
by the best of wishes." " You are certainly," answered I, " a 
husband and a father, since you show me so much kindness." 
I then learned that he was the American General Schuyler. 
He entertained me with excellent smoked tongue, beef-steaks, 
potatoes, good butter and bread. Never have I eaten a better 
meal. I was content. I saw that all around me were so like- 
wise; but that which rejoiced me more than every thing else 
was, that my husband was out of all danger. As soon as we 
had finished dinner, he invited me to take up my residence at 
his house, which was situated in Albany, and told me that 
General Burgoyne would, also, be there. I sent and asked my 
husband what I should do. He sent me word to accept the 
invitation; and as it was two days' journey from where we 
were, and already five o'clock in the afternoon, he advised me 
to set out in advance, and to stay over night at a place distant 
about three hours' ride. General Schuyler was so obliging as 



136 LETTERS AND J UENALS 

to send with me a French officer, who was a very agreeable 
man, and commanded those troops who composed the reconnoi- 
tering party of which I have before made mention. As soon 
as he had escorted me to the house where we were to remain, 
he went back. I found in this house a French physician, and 
a mortally wounded Brunswick officer, who was under his care, 
and who died a few days afterward. The wounded man extolled 
highly the good nursing of the doctor, who may have been a 
very skillful surgeon, but was a young coxcomb. He rejoiced 
greatly when he heard that I could speak his language, and 
began to entertain me with all kinds of sweet speeches and 
impertinences ; among other things, -that he could not believe 
it possible that I was a general's wife, because a woman of such 
rank would not certainly follow her husband into the camp. I 
ought, therefore, to stay with him, for it was better to be with the 
conquerors than the conquered. I was beside myself with his 
insolence, but dared not let him see the contempt with which 
he inspired me, because I had no protector. When night came 
on he offered to share his room with me ; but I answered, that 
I should remain in the apartment of the wounded officers, 
whereupon he distressed me still more with all kinds of foolish 
flatteries, until, suddenly, the door opened and my husband 
and his adjutant entered. " Here, sir, is my husband," said I 
to him, with a glance meant to annihilate him. Upon this 
he withdrew looking very sheepish. Yet, afterward, he was so 
polite as to give up his room to us. The day after this, we 
arrived at Albany, where we had so often longed to be. But 
we came not, as we supposed we should, as victors ! We were, 
nevertheless, received in the most friendly manner by the good 
General Schuyler, and by his wife and daughters, who showed 
us the most marked courtesy, as, also. General Burgoyne, al- 
though he had — without any necessity it was said — caused 
their magnificently built houses to be burned. But they treated 
us as people who knew how to forget their own losses in the 
misfortunes of others. Even General Burgoyne was deeply 



'of MRS. GENERAL BIEDESEL. 237 

moved at their magnanimity, and said to General Schuyler, " Is 
it to me, who have done you so much injury, that you show so 
much kindness ! " " That is the fate of war," replied the brave 
man, " let us say uo more about it." Wc remained three days 
with them, and they acted as if they were very reluctant to let 
us go. Our cook had remained in the city with the camp equip- 
age of my husband, but the second night after our arrival, the 
whole of it was stolen from us, notwithstanding an American 
guard of ten or twenty men had been deputed for its protection. 
Nothing remained to us except the beds of myself and children, 
and a few trifles that I had kept by me for my own use — and 
this too, in a land where one could get nothing for money, and 
at a time when we were in want of many things ; consequently, 
my husband was obliged to board his adjutant, quartermaster, etc., 
and find them in everything. The English olficers — our friends, 
as I am justified in calling them, for during the whole of my 
sojourn in America they always acted as such — each one gave 
us something. One gave a pair of spoons, another some plates, 
all of which we were obliged to use for a long time, ixs it was 
not until three years afterward, in New York, that we found 
an opportunity, although at great cost, to replace a few of the 
things we had lost. Fortunately, I had kept by me my little 
carriage, which carried my baggage. As it was already very late 
in the season, and the weather raw, I had my calash covered with 
coarse linen, which in turn was varnished over with oil ; and 
in this manner we set out on our journey to Boston, which was 
very tedious, besides being attended with considerable hardship. 
I know not whether it was my carriage that attracted the 
^curiosity of the people to it — for it certainly had the appear- 
ance of a wagon in which they carry around rare annuals — 
but often I was obliged to halt, because the people insisted upon 
seeing the wife of the German general with her children. For 
fear that they would tear oft" the linen covering from tlie wagon 
in their eagerness to see me, I very often alighted, and by this 
means got away more quickly. However, I must say that the 
18 



138 LETTERS AND JOUENALS 

people were very friendly, and were particularly deliglited at 
my being able to speak English, which was the language of 
their country. 

In the midst of all my trials, however, God so supported me, 
that I lost neither my frolicksomeuess, nor my spirits ; but my 
poor husband, who was gnawed by grief on account of all that 
had happened, and on account, also, of liis captivity, became by 
these constant stoppages, peevish in the highest degree, and 
could scarcely endure them. His health had suffered very 
greatly, especially by the many damp nights that he had spent 
in the open air ; and he was, therefore, often obliged to take 
medicine. One day, when he was very sick from the effects of 
an emetic, he could not sleep on account of the noise that our 
American guard made, who never left us, but were continually 
drinking and carousing before our very door; and when he sent 
them a message begging them to keep quiet, they redoubled 
their noise. I resolved to go out myself; and I said to them 
that my husband was sick, and begged that they would be less 
noisy. They at once desisted from their merriment and all 
became still. A proof that this nation, also, have respfect for 
our sex. 

Some of their generals who accompanied us were shoemakers ; 
and upon our halting-days they made boots for our officers, and, 
also, mended nicely the shoes of our soldiers. They set a great 
value upon our money coinage ; which, with them was scarce. 
One of our officers had worn his boots .entirely into shreds. lie 
saw that an American general had on a good pair, and said to 
him jestingly, "T will gladly give you a guinea for them." Im- 
mediately the general alighted from his horse, took the guinea, 
gave up his boots, and put on the badly worn ones of the officer, 
and again mounted his horse. 

At last wc arrived at Boston; and our troops were quartered 
in barracks not far from "Winter hill."^ We were billeted at 



* Winter bill, where most of the German prisoners were quartered, was, at that 
time, covered with wretched barracks, made of boards, that had been erected there in 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 139 

the house of a couutryman, where we had only one room under 
the roof. My women servants slept on the floor, and our men 
servants in the entry. Some straw, which I placed under our 
beds, served us for a long time, as I had with me nothing more 
than my own field bed. Our host allowed us to eat in his room, 
where the whole family together eat and slept. The man was 
kind, but the woman, in order to revenge herself for the trouble 
we brought upon her, cut up the prank; every time we sat down 
to table, of taking that time to comb out her children's heads, 
which were full of vermin — which very often entirely took 
away our appetites. And if we begged her to do this outside, 
or select another time for this operation, she would answer us, 
" It is my room, and I like to comb my children's hair at this 
time ! " We were obliged, therefore, to be silent lest she should 
thrust us out of the house. 

One day the gentlemen of our party celebrated, in this filthy 
place, the birthday, I believe, of the queen of England, and 
drank on this occasion a great deal of wine. My oldest little 
daughters, Gustava and Frederica, who had noticed that the 
wine that was left over had been placed under the stairs, 
thought it would be a fine thing for them in their turn to drink 
the queen's health. They, accordingly, seated themselves be- 
fore the door, and toasted so much — that is, drank healths — 
that their little heads could not bear more. Frederica became 
sick of a fever, which gave me the more anxiety as she had 
spasms with it, and I was entirely at a loss to know the cause. 
When, finally, nature helped herself by vomiting, then I saw 
that it was the wine, and blamed the little maidens greatly, who, 
however, replied that they, also, loved the king and queen, and 
could not, therefore, resist wishing them happiness. 

We remained three weeks at this place, until they transferred 
us to Cambridge, where they lodged us in one of the most 



1775, for the purpose of affording a shelter (though a scanty one) to the Americans 
while besieging General Gage in Boston. 



140 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

beautiful houses of the place, which had formerly been built by 
the wealth of the royalists. Never had I chanced upon such an 
agreeable situation. Seven families, who were connected with 
each other, partly by the ties of relationship and partly by affec- 
tion, had here farms, gardens and magnificent houses, and not 
far off plantations of fruit. The owners of these were in the 
habit of daily meeting each other in the afternoons, now at the 
house of one, and now at another, and making themselves merry 
with music and the dance — living in prosperity, united and 
happy, until, alas ! this ruinous war severed them, and left all 
their houses desolate except two, the proprietors of which were 
also soon obliged to flee. 

None of our gentlemen were allowed to go into Boston. 
Curiosity and desire urged me to pay a visit to Madame Carter, 
the daughter of General Schuyler, and I dined at her house 
several times. The city, throughout, is pretty, but inhabited 
by violent patriots, and full of wicked people. The women, 
especially, were so shameless, that they regarded me with re- 
pugnance and even spit atme when I passed by them. Madame 
Carter was as gentle and good as her parents, but her husband 
was wicked and treacherous. She came often to visit us, and 
also dined at our house with the other generals. We sought to 
show them by_^every means our gratitude. They seemed, also, 
to have much friendship for us ; and yet, at the same time, this 
miserable Carter, when the English General Howe had burned 
many hamlets and small towns, made the horrible proposition to 
the Americans to chop off the heads of our generals, salt them 
down in small barrels, and send over to the English one of 
these barrels for every hamlet or little town burned down ; but 
this barbarous suggestion fortunately was not adopted. 

During my sojourn at Bristol, in England, I had made the 
acquaintance of a Captain Fenton, from Boston, to whom the 
Americans, upon the breaking out of the war, had sent a sum- 
mons, but which, true to his king, he would not obey. Upon 
this, the women of the exasperated rabble seized his wife — a 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 141 

woman deserving of all estcem-and his very beautiful 
dauo-hter of fifteen years, and without regard to their good- 
ness: beauty or modesty, stripped them naked besmea.-ed them 
with tar, rolled them in feathers, and, in this condition, led 
them through the city as a show. What might not be expected 
from such people, inspired with the most bitter hatred 
.tin the same manner, there were two brothers who had loved 
each other very much, one of whom had espoused the side of 
the king, and the other that of the republicans. The former^ 
desiring again to see his brother, obtained permission and paid 
him a visit. His brother received him with great joy, and said 
to him, " How rejoiced am I to see you return to the good 
cause ! " " No, my brother," answered the royalist <' T remain 
true to my king, but this shall not hinder me from loving 
.ou" At this, the American sprang up in a fury, seized a 
pistol and threatened to shoot him if he did not instantly go 
Lay. AH the representations of the good brother, that their 
differences of opinion should not alter his love, availed nothing. 
The other exclaimed, " Only my old love for you hinders me 
from shooting you this very moment, for every royalist is my 
enemy " And he would certainly have carried out his threat if 
his brother had not finally made his escape. Almost every 
family was disunited 5 and I saw here that nothing is more 
terrible than a civil war. With such people we were obliged 
to live, or see no one whatever! I naturally preferred the 

''^General Phillips was, and remained, ever our kind and sin- 
cere friend, and we saw much of him. Our house, also, was 
constantly full of Englishmen, after we learned that it was con- 
sidered by them polite usage to invite them to call again 
Before we knew this, we observed, to our astonishment, tha 
some courteous people, whom we had received kindly came no 
a^rain. After this we adopted the same custom, and found it 
very convenient, since one could make a selection of those 
whose company was most agreeable. Still, a few persons fa- 



142 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

vored us with tbeir presence unasked, wlio were, as the English 
term it, " barefaced." 

While in Cambridge, I saw an entire house carried off upon 
long logs, to the ends of which they had attached wheels. 
The house is raised by a screw, the logs shoved underneath it, 
and the building is then moved readily.* 

On the 3d of June, 1778, I gave a ball and supper in cele- 
bration of the birthday of my husband. I had invited to it all 
the generals and officers. The Carters, also, were there. Gene- 
ral Burgoyne sent an excuse after he had made us wait till 
eight o'clock in the evening. He invariably excused himself, 
on various pretenses, from coming to see us, until his departure 
for England, when he came and made me a great many apolo- 
gies, but to which I made no other answer than that I should 
be extremely sorry if he had gone out of his way on our 
account. We danced considerably, and our cook prepared us a 
magnificent supper of more than eighty covers. Moreover, our 
court-yard and garden were illuminated. As the birthday of 
the king of England came upon the following day, which was 
the fourth, it was resolved that we would not separate until his 
health had been drank ; which was done with the most hearty 
attachment to his person and his interests. 

Never, I believe, has " God save the King" been sung with 
more enthusiasm or more genuine good will. Even both my 
oldest little daughters were there, having staid up to see the 
illumination. All eyes were full of tears ; and it seemed as if 
every one present was proud to have the spirit to venture to 
do this in the midst of our enemies. Even the Carters could 
not shut their hearts against us. As soon as the company 
separated, we perceived that the whole house was surrounded 



* This American manner of moving houses is as unknown to the English at the 
present day as it was to Mrs. Riedesel almost a century since. A gentleman last 
year (1866), chancing to be in a company of intelligent and educated English people, 
in England, alluded, in the course of conversation, to this custom, upon which his 
hearers thought he designed to hoax them ; nor was it until he had convinced them 
of having no such intention that they could be induced to credit it ! 



OF MBS. GENEBAL BIEDE8EL. I43 

by Americans, who, having seen so many people go into the 
house, and having noticed, also, the illumination, suspected that 
we were planning a mutiny, and if the slightest disturbance 
had arisen, it would have cost us dear. The Americans, when 
they desire to (Jollect their troops together, place burning 
torches of pitch upon the hill tops, at which signal every one 
hastens to the rendezvous. We were once witnesses of this, 
when General Howe attempted a landing at Boston in order to 
rescue the captive troops. They learned of this plan, as usual, 
long beforehand, and opened barrels of pitch, whereupon, for 
three or four successive days, a large number of people, without 
shoes and stockings, and with guns on their backs, were seen 
hastily coming from all directions, by which means so many 
people came together so soon that it would have been a very 
difficult thing to effect a landing. 

We lived very happily and contented in Cambridge, and 
were, therefore, well pleased at the idea of remaining there 
during the captivity of our troops. aAs winter approached, 
however, we were ordered to Virginia.* Now I was forced to 
consider how I should safely carry the colors of our German 
regiments still further, as we had made the Americans at 
Saratoga believe that they were burnt up — a circumstance 
which they at first took in bad part, though, afterwards, they 
tacitly overlooked it. But it was only the staves that had been 
burned, the colors having been thus far concealed. Now, my 
husband confided to me this secret, and entrusted me with their 
still further concealment. I, therefore, shut myself in with a 
right honorable tailor, who helped me make a mattress in which 



* The cause of this order was Cliuton's declaration that since the Convention 
troops (i. e. those who surrendered at Saratoga), were not acknowledged as such, 
but looked upon in the same light as ordinary prisoners of war, he was no longer 
disposed to forward provisions to them, or pay the " exorbitant bills of the 
Americans," consequently congress must maintain the prisoners itself. As the 
country in the vicinity of Boston was very deficient in provisions, the Convention 
troops were accordingly sent to Virginia, which, it was thought, would be better 
able to furnish the needful supplies. 



144 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

we sewed every one of tliem. Captain O'Connell, under pre- 
tense of some errand, was sent to New York, and passed the 
mattress off as his bed. He sent it to Halifax, where we again 
found it on our passage from New York to Canada, and where -r- 
in order to ward off all suspicion in case our ship should be 
taken — I transferred it into my cabin, and slept, during the 
whole of the remaining voyage to Canada, upon these honorable 
badges. 

Awhile we were on the point of taking our departure, I dis- 
covered that our cook, whose receipts I had luckily received 
daily, had paid nothing whatever; and they brought to me 
unpaid bills which amounted to the sum of one thousand rix 
thalers. My husband had him arrested. But he slipped off 
and went into the service of General Gates, who found him too 
expensive ; whereupon he went to General La Fayette, who 
afterwards told us that " he would answer only for a king ! " 
My husband wished him well on account of his skillfulness in 
cooking, which was very great. But the scoundrel had con- 
ceived a hatred against me, because I watched him. I have 
always believed, also, that he had a share in the robbery of my 
husband's equipage at Albany. We afterwards found him in 
New York in the greatest poverty. He had seduced and ran 
away with the wife of an American, and afterwards deserted 
her, because he was in such an indigent situation that he was 
not able to support her. 

/My husband had often a kind of nervous and anxious feeling, 
by reason of which he was never easy unless he was walking or 
working in the garden. I, therefore, always took care, when- 
ever we changed our quarters, to have a garden made in a 
suitable place. This was not difficult, neither did it cost much, 
as almost all our soldiers understood garden work, and were, 
besides, glad of an opportunity to earn something. I thanked 
God now more than ever that he had given me courage to follow 
my husband. The grief of being in captivity, the unpleasant 
situation of our troops, and the want of news from his father- 



"--' W™, and whe„ h lad „f t:' "''^'", "•" ""^ ■"> «- fo 
»"- longer without recew"" !,'"'' '"^'^ ^-^ -'l 
joyful an> I, even now whenf !'"'f"'^'^ »«« «•> ! How 
'hat I resisted ail tho e wto ! u^ '''"^ "P"" *»»« '™es 

p-^o-iug »y duty :; ;t;:" '-^^ r™"'^'* ™ «- 

7 tender lo™ had inspired C I f '"'''"' "* "'"'ol^ 
-" '■- -rrows and his cares. ' ""' ' f-'Wulty shared 

- "^ 'ot;::tr ^'rrv?' "- - ■■— '»e 

P«tty English wago^.andho'fhTt/ ' '"'■'""^'^'^' ^""O » 
-- enabled to travel eisily. wt' " 'n ? "''»'■ ^ '^fo™, r 
of "y husband's adjutant-^ Capt t "" '"' ^"''^"'^"^ °°« 
«"theway. Theoonfiding™!; "of 1 ""ru"' "'' "> '-™ - 
legave his pr„n,ise and fai hi,! /''".'"''""-''-■"'i-, and 
-"' '1- aru.y, and often ove aWt "• ' '""'^'^'' ^'-^y^ 
oapta.n, „ho was very stroj j , ™P''«ble roads.* The 

'-■^'>«'--tever,d::y; ;,::f : ^id" "'''■ =p™»" ^™ 

jag", Eoelel, who was withCe and °'"' ''"»°"- O"'' "^ 
»-^ta„ee. as he was ver, n.uch fat f.T T'' ''"«'"'" ^' ''"^ 
bo. and confuted hin.s If w t t f, . ' r'"" -'^"«tl,o„ his 
''<' was down fron. his horse d'7n^";f»;". ■' " I-'antly 
"'" ""' I'to him to use such 

bivouacked m thei^d Lh T'°'^ ""'^'^^ ^' midBi<.ht in f "' '^^^^Snated 



146 LETTERS AND J0UENAL8 

freedom ; but it amused tlie good captain so much that lie begged 
me not to notice it. 

I had always provisions with me, but carried them in a second, 
small wagon. As this could not go as fast as we, I was often in 
want of every thing. Once, when we were passing a town called 
Hertford,* where we made a halt, which, by the way, happened 
every fourth day, we met General La Fayette, whom my hus- 
band invited to dinner, as otherwise he would have been unable 
to find any thing to eat. This placed me in rather an awkward 
dilemma, as I knew that he loved a good dinner. Finally, 
however, I managed to glean from what provisions I had on 
hand enough to make him a very respectable dinner. He was 
so polite and agreeable that he pleased us all very much. He 
had many Americans in his train, who were ready to leap out of 
their skin for vexation, at hearing us speak constantly in French. 
Perhaps they feared, on seeing us on such a friendly footing 
with him, that we would be able to alienate him from their 
cause, or that he would confide things to us that we ought not 
to know. He spoke much of England, and of the kindness 
which the king had shown him in having had all objects of 
interest shown to him. I could not keep myself from asking 
him how he could find it in his heart to accept so many marks 
of kindness from the king, when he was on the point of d'eparl- 
ing in order to fight against him. Upon this observation of 
mine he appeared somewhat ashamed, and answered me, " It is 
true that such a thought passed through my mind one day, 
when the king offered to show me his fleet. I answered that 
I hoped to see it some day; and then quietly retired, in order 
to escape from the embarrassment of being obliged to decline, 
point blank, the offer, should it be repeated." Some, however, 
charged him with being a spy in England, upon which he 
immediately went to America. 

One day we came to a pretty little place, but our supply 



♦Hartford, Conn. 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 147 v 

wagou not having been able to follow us, we could not endure 
our hunger longer. Observing a quantity of butcher's meat in 
the house in which we put up, I begged the hostess to let me 
have some. " I have," answered she, " several different kinds. 
There is beef, veal, and mutton." My mouth already watered 
at the prospect. " Let me have some," I said, " I will pay you 
well for it." Snapping her fingers almost under my very nose, 
she replied, " You shall not have a morsel of it. Why have 
you come out of your land to kill us, and waste our goods and 
possessions ? Now you are our prisoners ; it is, therefore, 
our turn to torment you." " See," rejoined I, " these poor 
children, they are almost dead with hunger." She remained 
inflexible. But when, finally, my three and a half year old 
little daughter, Caroline, came up to her, seized her by the 
hand, and said to her in English, " Good woman, I am very 
hungry ! " She could not longer withstand her : she took her 
in, a room and gave her an egg. "No," said the good little 
child, " I have still two sisters." At this the woman was 
touched, and gave her three eggs, saying, " I am just as angry 
as ever, but I cannot withstand the child." She then became 
more gentle, and offered me bread and milk. I made tea for 
ourselves. The woman eyed us longingly, for the Americans 
love it very much ; but they had resolved to drink it no longer, 
as the ftimous duty on the tea had occasioned the war. I 
offered her a cup, and poured out for her a saucer of tea. This 
mollified her completely, and she begged me to follow her into 
the kitchen, where I found the husband gnawing at a pig's tail, 
while his wife, to my great satisfiiction, brought out of the cellar 
a basket of potatoes. When she came back he reached out to 
her his tit-bit. She ate some of it, and gave it back to him in 
a little while, when he again began to feast upon it. I saw this 
singular mutual entertainment with amazement and disgust; 
but he believed that hunger made me begrudge it him, and 
he reached out to me the already thoroughly gnawed tail. 
What should I do? Throw it away, and not only injure his 



j^^g LETTEES AND JOUBNALS 

feeliDgs, but lose my loved basket of potatoes ! I accordingly 
took it, pretended to eat it, and quietly threw it into the fire. 
We had now made our entire peace with them. They gave me 
my potatoes, and I made a good supper oif them, with excellent 
butter. But besides this, they moved us into three pretty 
rooms with good beds. 

The next morning we again set out on our journey, and still, 
on every hand, drew upon us the curiosity-»f the inhabitants. 
Upon reaching the bank of the Hudson river,* we were quar- 
tered at the house of a boatman, where we were given, as a 
special mark of favor, a half-finished room without windows. 
We hung our bed clothes before them, and slept upon some 
straw, as our baggage wagon was broken, and we had, therefore, 
no beds. In consequence of this accident, also, we had, unfor- 
tunately, neither coffee, nor tea, nor sugar, which had often, 
upon this journey constituted our only refreshment. Our 
landlady, a perfect fury, finally allowed us, on the following 
morning, when our things had arrived, to breakfast in her 
room, as it was in the month of December, and we could not 
make a fire in our room. But we were unable to induce her to 
let us have a table to ourselves ; and we were not once permitted 
to sit down to hers, until she, with her children and servants, 
had finished breakfast, which consisted of what had been left 



* Mrs. Riedesel and the troops struck the Hudson at Fishkill. WTien they ar- 
rived at that place, Washington, on horsehack, attended by his staft", saw them 
march hy. A journal of a Brunswick officer, speaking of the American commander- 
in-chief on this occasion, naively says : — "He reviewed all our divisions, and was 
very polite to our officers. All that, in general, can he said on the siibject of the 
said general amounts to this ; that it is a pity, a man of his character and talents 
is a rebel to his king." 

Mrs. Riedesel and the first division of the troops reached Lancaster in the latter 
part of December. The credulous inhabitants of that town had been hoaxed with 
the story, that the king of England had made a present of the worthy town of Lan- 
caster to General Riedesel, to reward him for his services, and that the latter had 
now come to take possession of the place with his troops. The irritation of the 
people, accordingly, was so roused against the German general, that serious conse- 
quences were at first feared ; and it was a long time before they could be convinced 
of the falsity of the report. 



OF MRS. GENERAL BIEDESEL. 149 

over from the evening meal, viz : cabbage, ham, and the like, 
with coffee and coarse sugar. They left us a filthy table, which 
we Avere first obliged to clean before we could use it. And yet 
they insisted that we should put every thing in order, and re- 
place the cups and saucers in a perfectly clean condition ! At 
the least remonstrance they pointed us to the door. She did 
all this to torment us, for she was an anti-royalist. Unfortu- 
nately, a storm, with adverse winds, came up, so that we, as the 
boatman assured us, could not cross the river without danger. 
The wicked woman insisted, notwithstanding, that we should 
go ; and it was only after many entreaties, that we obtained 
permission to remain two days longer. On the third day, the 
husband, with a perplexed air, came and announced to us that 
we must go. I entreated him to think of our danger, and at 
least to accompany us, as I should then have more courage to 
attempt the passage over. He promised to take us over him- 
self; and we embarked upon a little boat with one sail; but as 
he shoved it from the land, our man sprang up and out of the 
boat, and left us only one sailor, who did not understand very well 
how to guide the tiller. We were, therefore, on account of his 
unskillfulness, and the contrary winds, driven hither and. thither 
in the river for more tljan five hours, until, at last after a thou- 
sand anxieties, we landed upon the opposite shore. Even then 
we were still obliged to wade up to the knees through a morass, 
till we came to the house of Colonel Plorborn * — a very rich 
man, where we were to lodge. f 



/thi 



* Probably Osborn. 

't Mrs. Riedesel does not exaggerate the peril of ber pcassage across the Hudson in 
this storm ; and knowing men at the time were surprised that she escaped without 
accident. Indeed, the treatment she received from the inhabitants of the towns 
through which she passed on this journey, was such as to excite the indigna- 
tion of Colonel Troup, who had been detailed to accompany the party to its 
destination. In a letter to General Gates, dated at Sussex Court House, January 
3d, ITTO, Colonel Troup writes : " You cannot imagine what difficulties we had to 
overcome on our march hither. The people of almost every house whore wc 
stopped, seemed to delight in rendering our stay wath them as unpleasant as they 
possibly could. I am sorry to add, that they behaved very improperly to Lady 



150 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

4 

In that place, I had a small room, it is true, but a good 
one, for myself, husband, children, and both my maids; in 
which, however, the adjutants had to take, breakfast, dinner 
and tea. As T wished to change my stockings on account 
of my feet being completely soaked, I begged our officers to 
go out long enough for me to do this. In the meantime 
they went into the kitchen to warm themselves, and while 
there, suddenly the host came in, took them by the arms, ex- 
claiming at the same time, " Here, you nasty royalists! is it not 
enough that I harbor you ; can you not sometimes leave me in 
peace ? " He had just come in from the field ; and in his coarse 
cloth garments, his long beard, and his dirty linen, looked so 
like a bear, that we trembled before him. His wife, however, 
was kind. On the following day, which was Sunday, she 
begged me to drink coffee with her after dinner. Scarcely had 
I seated myself, when the husband entered looking much more 
respectable, as he had shaved himself, and put on his Sunday 
linen. As I could not yet forget the scene of the day before, 
I got up and wished to leave the room. But he shut the door 
and asked me, " Are you afraid of me ? " " No," answered I, 
" I am afraid of no one, not even the devil, whom you so resem- 
bled yesterday." " But to-day," replied he, " I look much 



Riedesel. They could not dismiss from their minds the cruelty with which our 
prisoners have been treated. Part of them were afraid of being plundered, others of 
being murdered by us. A young woman, who had been married only shortly before, 
wept continually, crying and gnashing her teeth for almost two hours running, 
merely because I asked her to let Lady Riedesel sleep in her chamber, where she 
kept some gowns, petticoats, pots, and the like. The rudeness with which they 
treated us, of every degree and kind, was carried to such a point, that since my 
departure from Cambridge, I have always stood in the greatest fear. Lady Riedesel, 
the general and his family, have testified to me, in every way, their esteem and 
kindness. A few minutes ago, they and the children, before setting out for Easton, 
were in the best state of health." And in another letter to Gates, shortly after, he 
writes: "The army has made a stand at Middlebrook; and the officer, who was 
dispatched by Lord Sterling to attend Lady Riedesel to "Virginia, assures me that 
they are well satisfied with their lodgings. In spite of his assurances, however, I 
cannot disengage myself from my private opinion, which, I am persuaded, does not 
much differ from yours." 



OF MBS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 251 

better." " Yes," said I, " nevertheless, I desire to get out of 
the way of further discourtesies." My demeanor, instead of 
vexing, pleased him. He took me by the hand, and urged me 
to sit down again in my chair. " I am not so bad as you think," 
said he, " you please me, and if I had no wife I would marry 
you." " But," rejoined I, " how do you know that I would 
have you ? " " That," said he, " we should soon see. I am very 
rich ; the whole landscape, as far as you can see, is mine, my 
wife is already old; I think, therefore, you had better remain 
here." From this moment, I could have had every thing that 
the house afforded ; for the good wife was delighted to share 
with me all that she herself was accustomed to have. 

We were obliged to remain here eight days in order to give 
our troops time to cross the river, which, on account of the 
scarcity of suitable boats, was very tedious. Our third stopping- 
place for the night from this place, was at the house of .a German, 
where we were well lodged and well fed. The old man, it 
seemed, was the son of a coachman who had been in the service 
of Count Gbrtz in Germany. In his twelfth year, his father 
on one occasion chastised him on account of some roguish 
prank. Thereupon he resolved to run away ; and chance led 
him to London. Servants were at that time often sent thence 
to the American colonies, and he was also sent over with one 
of these companies. As his lucky star would have it he fell 
into the hands of a kind master, who, taking a fimcy to him, 
had him well educated, and, after some years of service, gave 
him some land to cultivate, as was customary in this country, 
after one had served out his apprenticeship, lie was very active 
and industrious, and soon found himself in a position to take a 
lease of it from his master, who, finally, when he observed how 
every thing prospered under his hands, gave him his daughter 
for a wife. The man had nine sons who were also farmers; 
and the only thing that disturbed his happiness was, the thought 
of having left his father, to whom, however, he often sent 
money. As he knew that the Riedesel family were neighbors 



152 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

and friends of Gortz, lie took good care of us, and was exceed- 
ingly grieved when we again set out on our journey. 

At another time we had our quarters for the night at the 
house of a Colonel Howe, to whom I thought I was paying a 
compliment by asking him if he was a relation of the English 
General ? " God forbid," answered he, very much affronted, " he 
is not worthy of it." They said that this colonel was a brave 
man. When he was not in the field but- at home, he plowed 
his acres himself, and busied himself with his household affairs. 
Be had a daughter fourteen years old, pretty, but of a wicked 
disposition. ' As I was once sitting with her before a good chim- 
ney fire, she gazed at the glowing coals, and cried out 'l^Oh, if 
I only had the king of England here, with what satisfaction I 
could cut his body in pieces, tear out his heart, dissect it, put it 
upon these coals, and consume it ! " I looked at her with horror, 
and said, " I am almost ashamed to belong to a sex that is capable 
of taking such pleasure." I have never been able to forget this 
detestable girl ; and I was glad to get away from this house, 
although, in other respects, we were very well treated. 

Before we passed the so-called Blue mountains, we were forced 
to make a still further halt of eight days, that our troops might 
have time to collect together again. In the mean time such a 
great quantity of snow fell, that four of our servants were obliged 
to go before my wagon on horseback, in order to make a path 
for it. We passed through a picturesque portion of the country, 
which, however, by reason of its wildness, inspired us with terror. 
Often we were in danger of our lives while going along these 
break-neck roads; and more than all this we suffered from cold, 
and what was was still worse, from a lack of provisions. When 
we arrived in Virginia, and were only a day's journey from the 
place of our destination, we had actually nothing more remaining 
but our tea, and none of us could obtain any thing but bread 
and butter. A countryman, whom we met on the way, gave 
me only a hand full of acrid fruits. At noon wc came to a dwell- 
ing where 1 begged for something to eat. They refused me with 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. I53 

hard words, saying that there was nothing for dogs of Royalists. 
Seeing some Turkish meal * lying around, I begged for a couple 
of hands full, that I might mix it with water and make bread. 
The woman answered me " No, that is for our negroes, who work 
for us, but you have wished to kill us." Captain Edmonston 
offered her from me, two guineas for it, as my children were 
so hungry. But she said, " Not for a hundred would I give you 
any; and should you all die of hunger, it will be so much the 
better." At this reply, the captain became so provoked, that he 
wished to take it by force. I, however, entreated him, in order to 
prevent disturbance, to keep quiet, as we, perhaps, would soon 
come across better disposed people. But alas that did not hap- 
pen ! We did not once meet with even a hut. The roads were 
horrible, the horses completely tired out, my three children ex- 
hausted by hunger, very wan, and I for the first time was tho- 
roughly disheartened. Captain Edmonston, exceedingly touched 
at this sight, went from man to man to see if he could not obtain 
something to eat. At last he received from one of the drivers 
of our baggage-wagons, a piece of old bread, a quarter of a 
pound's weight, which had been considerably gnawed at, since, 
on account of its hardness, no one could bite off the smallest 
piece. The instant he brought it to us, joy sparkled in the eyes 
of the children. I was about to give the first piece to Caroline 
as the youngest. " No," said the kind child, " my sisters are more 
hungry than I." Gustava and Frederica also refused to take it, 
wishing to leave it for their little sister. I therefore divided it 
and gaveit to all three to eat. Tears ran down both my cheeks ; 
and the good Edmonston was so affected, that he was unable 
longer to endure the sight. If I had at any time refused a piece 
of bread to the poor, I should have thought that God wished now 
to punish me for it. The kind driver, who had so willingly 
given us his last piece of bread, received a guinea from Captain 



Indian meal. 

20 



154 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

Edmonston, and, on our arrival at the place of our destination, 
a large stock of bread for his return journey. 

The place of our destination was Colle in Virginia, where my 
husband, who had gone ahead with our troops, awaited us with 
impatient longing. We arrived here about the middle of Feb- 
ruary, 1779, having, on our journey, passed through the pro- 
vinces of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania 
and Maryland, and having traveled in twelve weeks, six hundred 
and seventy-eight English miles. The house in which we lived, 
and the entire estate, belonged to an Italian,* who, as he was to 
be absent for some time, gave it up to us. We looked forward 
longingly to the departure of himself, wife and daughter, for 
not only was the house small, but more than all, the scarcity of 
provisions seemed to trouble them — a circumstance which caused 
the husband to exercise a kin dof guardianship over us. Thus, 
when he had a ram killed, he gave us on the first day, nothing 
more than the head, the neck, and the giblets, although I repre- 
sented to him that more than twenty persons were to make a meal 
off, them. He assured me that a right good soup might be made 
of these articles, and gave us besides, two heads of cabbage, with 
which, and half of a putrid ham, we were obliged to be satisfied. 

The troops had been expected earlier, and accordingly many 
oxen and swine had been killed for food ; and, as salt was very 
scarce, they cut the meat into quarters, placed it in a vault in 
the earth, and scattered between the pieces ashes instead of salt 
which answered equally as well. But as in this part of the 
country, the sun, even in January, often shines out very warm, 
all the top layers were spoiled. The meat was brought to us on 
a wheel-barrow ; but we were often obliged to throw the whole of 
it away, although sometimes we could wash it, in which case we 
salted and hung it up in smoke. The day of our arrival, when 
I had scarcely enough for dinner to satisfy us alone, I saw with 
tears, eight of our officers ride up just before dinner. What 



* The name of this Italian is supposed to have been Mazzei. 



OF MRS. OEXERAL RIEDE8EL. |55 

could we do but sliare witli them the little we had ? The troops 
were stationed at Charlottsville, two hours ride from us. To 
reach them we were obliged to go through a very beautiful piece 
of woods. At first they endured many privations. They occu- 
pied block-houses, which, however, were without plaster, and des- 
titute of doors and windows, so that they were very cold inside. 
They worked, however, with great industry to build themselves 
better dwellings ; and, in a short time, I saw a pretty little town 
spring up. Behind each barrack, they laid out gardens and 
constructed pretty little inclosures for poultry. Afterwards, 
when the old provisions were consumed, they received fresh meat 
and meal enough to make bread. As this latter was Indian 
meal, it served them for omelets and dumplings ; so that now they 
were in want of nothing but money. Very little of this latter 
commodity was sent to them by the English, and it was diffi- 
cult sometimes to obtain credit, — a circumstance which often- 
times gave great inconvenience to the common soldiers. 
^In the middle of the month of February the fruit trees, which 
were already in blossom, were all killed by the night-frost. 
As soon as the temperature of the air would allow, we had the 
garden and the field tilled and planted ; and, as our landlord 
went ofi" three weeks after, we took possession of every thing — 
swjne, wild turkeys, etc. Some of the latter weighed over fifty 
pounds, and were perfectly tame ; but when spring came, they 
all flew ofi" to hatch their eggs, which they had laid in the forests. 
We gave them up for lost, but they all came back and brought 
with them a great number of young ones. 

We had built for us a large house, with a great drawing-room 
in the centre, and upon each side two rooms which cost my 
husband one hundred guineas. It was exceedingly pretty. 
^ - Many of the negroes brought us every thing that we needed, in 
the shape of poultry and vegetables. Every week. General 
Phillips and ourselves killed, by turns, an ox and two pigs. 
Very soon we wanted nothing. But the heat bothered us very 
much in summer ; and we lived in constant terror of rattle- 



156 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

snakes. Tlie fruits also were eaten into, by three kinds of 
ticks.* We had, moreover, very heavy thunder-storms, lasting 
for five or six days at a time, and accompanied by tempests 
which tore up by the roots more than one hundred trees in our 
vicinity. The trees stood very loosely, and their roots were 
lightly covered, as the strong winds blew away from them the 
earth, which was mostly sand. Besides all this, the negroes 
and herdsmen often made fires under the trees, for which they 
cared nothing. By reason of this the trees were more easily 
blown down. Often whole forests were set on fire, and burned 
down in order to obtain new land. At night, we were obliged 
to leave our windows open, that we might be able to draw in 
fresh air, and sleep. Thereupon, three or four nasty bats, three 
times as large as with us, would wake us up, and we were ob- 
liged to spend half the night in chasing them around the room. 
On one occasion a person came in the night to my husband, to 
tell him that the stable, which was a new one, was in danger of 
being blown down by the wind. Every one ran out to prop it 
up, except myself, who was left alone with my children, and 
women servants. The wind continually grew stronger. A great 
piece of the chimney fell into the room; the whole house rocked ; 
and I remained half the night in the greatest fear of being killed 
by a fragment. We were often frightened in this manner. 

We had no chairs to sit on, only round blocks, which we also 
used for a table, laying boards upon them. In this manner we 
lived for three j" or four months, pretty contentedly; my husband, 
only, was always sad, and could not at all endure the heat, which 



* A kind of insect which even now infests the south, especially the southern por- 
tion of Kentucky. 

t Mrs. Reidesel is yet remembered in Virginia. Tradition describes her as hav- 
ing at this time considerable embmpoint^ and a handsome and lovely face (as is seen 
in the engraving accompanying this volume). She is also reported as having ren- 
dered herself an object of wonder, in riding in boots, after wh.'t was then called 
the European fashion. She was undoubtedly in advance of her age, and by 
keeping her feet warm and repudiating pasteboard soles, showed her sterling 



OF MliS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. I57 

stood at one liundred and three degrees, and was exceedingly op- 
pressive. We endeavored to cheer him up as much as possible. 
As soon as the vegetables began to grow in our garden, he took 
considerable satisfaction in busying himself in gardening. But 
as he would wear no hat on his head on account of having much 
headache and its uncomfortable feeling, he met with an acci- 
dent, which I will presently relate, that was the beginning of 
my greatest sufferings. I was engaged in putting to rights our 
new house and my husband's room, when I heard a noise out of 
doors. I ran to the window and saw my husband being carried 
into the house by some men. His face was blue, his hands 
white, his eyes fixed, and great drops of sweat stood upon his 
forehead. He had received a sun-stroke. I was more dead than 
alive ; and the children uttered piercing shrieks. We immedi- 
ately laid him down, and tore off all his clothing. Fortunately 
the surgeon of our regiment, who was already with us, happened at 
the moment to be in, and at once opened a vein. He now reco- 
vered his speech and told us that as he was walking through the 
garden, the sun shone down intensely upon his head; and he had 
been scarcely able to reach the house when his adj utant arrived ; 
had it not been for this timely aid he would have been killed. My 
Grod ! what would then have become of me and my little child- 
ren in the midst of captives, so far from home, and in an enemy's 
land ! Even now my hair stands on end whenever I think of 
it. As soon as my husband again came to himself, he took me 
by the hand, and gazed upon me with an affectionate look. 
One could not but observe that he considered himself very dan- 
gerously ill. If I went away even for an instant, he became 
very uneasy and followed me with his eyes. The physician, 
whom we had summoned, came ; and after we had used all pos- 
sible cai'e, Grod was finally pleased to preserve for me my beloved 
husband. But for many years afterward he suffered from pains 
in the head, and from debility, which made him grieve the more 
over his situation. 

The use of a certain bath in Virginia, which is called Frede- 



158 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

rick-spring, was prescribed for him, and we accordiaglj^ journeyed 
thither. I believe that he increased his disorder by always wet- 
ting his head before bathing ; and what was still worse was, that 
in spite of all we could do, his hair would remain damp. His 
fretfulness continued, and the thought of his imprisonment 
worried hitn more than ever. At night he could not sleep. I 
therefore hit upon the expedient of reading to him in a particu- 
larly drowsy tone. This was successful, for he always went to sleep. 
His hands and feet were constantly blue, and cold as ice. When- 
ever I thought that I might safely venture to lie down, his 
anguish would invariably wake him up. Every thing irritated 
him. One day a Virginian came into my room, and said that he 
was curious to see a German woman, eying me, at the same time, 
from head to foot. I was delighted at the idea of enjoying my- 
self over something. But when, at his request, I brought him 
to my husband, the latter was so moved at the idea of his situa- 
tion compelling him to be gazed upon at the whim of this or 
that man, that the tears came into his eyes, and I sincerely re- 
pented of having been so inconsiderate. 

^ We made at Frederick-spring, the acquaintance of General 
Washington's family, and also of Madam Garel — a very lov- 
able woman — and her husband. She was an ardent American 
patriot, but reasonable, and we became great friends. She spent 
most of the forenoons with us. At such times Captain Geismar 
played the violin and I sang Italian airs, which gave her the 
greatest delight. One day, while thus engaged, a countryman, 
from whom we had endeavored by many kind words to obtain 
fresh butter, came in upon us. As the Americans, generally, 
are fond of music, he listened attentively, and when I had finished, 
asked me to sing it once more. I asked him sportively what he 
would give me for it ? as I did nothing gratis. " Two pounds of 
butter," he at once answered. The idea pleased me, and I began 
to sing. " Play another one," said he, as soon as I had finished, 
" but something lively." At length I sang oo much, that the 
next morning, he brought me four or five pounds of fresh butter. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. \Q\ 

esclianged tlirough tlie intercession of his father. He was so de- 
voted to the interests of my husband, and it gave him so much 
pain to leave him, that the latter was even obliged to persuade 
him to return to England. His departure affected us deeply, 
especially when he said, " I am certain that I shall never see 
you again." 

On our journey to the country-seat of Mrs. Garel, Captain 
Freeman saw a black snake — which, however, is not danger- 
ous — licking a frog and swallowing him down. Crying out 
sportively, " I declare myself the Knight of the Frog," he drew 
his sword, and split the snake open, when lo ! the frog hopped 
out of its stomach, thoroughly alive ; at which we all were 
greatly amazed. Before we arrived, I was overturned with my 
wagon, but without the slightest injury. I had advised Ma- 
dame Grarel of my arrival, and she sent a man on horseback to 
meet me. After I had passed through a very pretty hamlet, 
inhabited b}'' pure negroes — each of whom had his garden f-^ " 
understood some handif-^^^' 



162 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

to every part of the vineyard, to one looking down from the top, 
such a one, indeed, that for beauty. I have not found its equal 
in any portion of America "which I have seen. The husband 
of Madame Garel had traveled abroad, and had gathered these 
ideas of the laying out of grounds in England and France. 
In other respects he was not very lovable, but rather brusque, 
and niggardly, and not at all suited to his wife, who, although 
she never showed it by outward signs, nevertheless did not ap- 
pear to be happy. Her father-in-law she loved very much. 

Not far from this estate, was a town, callecl Baltimore, which 
they told me was very pretty, and inhabited by many amiable 
families. We received a visit from an intimate friend of our 
hostess. Both these women reminded me of Rousseau's Heloise 
and her friend, and the old father of the husband of Heloise. 
Madame Garel was as full of tender feeling as she, and would, 
I believe, have gladly had a St. Preux for a husband. We ar- 

•-^^ for her a temple adorned with flowers, after the design 
'*^ to Friendship and Grati- 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 163 

fearfully ; the lightning struck in several places round about 
us; and another and larger tree threatened to crush us. I 
could only urge the servants to disengage us from the jam, 
but the coachman, who was completely bewildered, assured me, 
that it was impossible. At last, my little Gustava, who was at 
that time only eight years old, said, " Only unhitch the horses, 
and put them behind the wagon, and you can draw it backwards." 
This suggestion was immediately acted upon, and every one asked 
the other, why that idea had not occurred to them likewise? 
So finally we arrived happily at York-town, in Pennsylvania, 
where we found ray husband, who had been very much worried 
about us, on account of the vivid lightning. We rode through 
a magnificent country, and passed, among others, a very well 
cultivated section inhabited by the Moravian brethren. One 
place is called the Holy Sepulchre, and another district goes by 
the name of the Holy Laud, in which is a town called Bethlehem. 
We found a right good tavern, where we waited for those of our 
party, who were still behind. I had brought with me from 
Virginia, some splendid birds. The male was scarlet, with a 
still darker red tuft, as large as a jack-daw, and sang magnifi- 
cently. The female was gray, with a red breast, and had also a 
tuft. As soon as these birds are caught they become tame, and 
eat out of the hand. This bird lives a long while, but if two 
males are hung up in the same room, they become so jealous 
of each other, that one of them soon dies miserably. I saw also 
in Virginia, blue birds, just as large, that constantly cried willo ! 
This afi'orded us considerable amusement, as one of my husband's 
aids was so named. One of our servants found a whole nest of 
these red birds, and trained them, and, as he knew I loved them 
very much, he carried to me two cages full of them from Colle, 
upon his back. But they all died before he arrived, which gave 
us considerable sorrow. I had also made a collection of very 
beautiful butterflies, and had packed them very carefully in a 
trunk, but the wagon in which they were was overturned, and 
the trunk dashed to pieces. This happened to me twice, and 



1 64 LETTERS AND J UllNALS 

entirely took away from me any further desire to make another 
collection. 

After we all had once more got together and rested, we again 
set out and came to the house of a family who gave themselves 
out for royalists. Their name was Van Horn. They showed us 
much kindness, and begged us to recommend them to General 
Cornwallis, who, as well as General Clinton, was a friend of 
General Phillips and had brought about our return from Vir- 
ginia. 

We came to a very pretty place, opposite Staten island, called 
Elizabeth-town, where we found many royalists who welcomed 
us joyfully and treated us with hospitality. We were now so 
near New York and counted so surely on the exchange of my 
husband and the actual fulfillment of our dearest wishes, that, 
as we sat together at dinner, we confidently believed that we 
should cross over immediately to New York and be restored to 
freedom that same evening. But suddenly the door opened and 
an officer, sent by General Washington, stepped inside and 
handed to General Phillips a letter with an order to return again, 
as the congress had refused to ratify the exchange. The eyes 
of General Phillips, who was by nature very passionate, fairly 
scintillated with rage. He struck the table with his fist, and 
said, " This is pleasant ! but we should have expected it from 
these people who are all rascals !" I was like one petrified, and 
could not utter a single word. He seized me by the hand, and 
said to me, " Now, my friend, do not allow your courage to fail 
you. Follow my example; see how collected I am ! " " Every 
one," answered I to him, " shows his sorrow in his own fashion. 
I keep mine in my heart, and you manifest yours with passion. 
But it's my opinion that you would do better not to allow these 
people to see you in such a passion, who will only make sport 
of you, and may perhaps make you still more trouble." He 
acknowledged that I was right, thanked me, and assured me 
that he, like myself, would bear his sufferings with resignation. 
From this time he conducted himself perfectly quietly. 



OF MRS. GENEBAL EIEDESEL. \Q^ 

I was at this time with child, and in constant pain, so that 
the journey fatigued me exceedingly. I had hoped to find quiet, 
and be among people, from whom I could have received good 
nursing. Vain hope ! After the single day's halt which was 
allowed us, we were forced to turn about again, and stop once 
more at the house of the Van Horns. This time we found 
there a nephew of General Washington, with quite a number 
of other American officers, who within three days had wrought 
such a wonderful change in the sentiments of these people (they 
were among those who hang their cloaks to the wind*), that we 
not only saw the daughters of these pretended royalists on the 
most familiar footing with the anti-royalists, and allowing them 
all kinds of liberties ; but, as they thought we would not now 
dare to remonstrate, we heard them singing during the whole 
night, " God save great Washington ! God damn the 
King I " Upon our departure the nest morning, I could 
scarcely conceal my indignation. We now returned to Bethle- 
hem, where my husband and General Phillips were allowed by 
the Americans to remain until the particulars of the exchange, 
which was yet unfinished, should be settled; and, as our former 
landlord in this place had treated us with kind hospitality, we 
all of us determined to board with him — " all of us " being six- 
teen persons, and four house servants. The latter received 
money with which to pay their board. We had, also, about 
twenty horses. Our host would make with us no definite agree- 
ment about the price, and, as none of us had any money, this 
was very convenient, as he would cheerfully wait for his pay till 
we received some. We supposed him to be an honest and rea- 
sonable man, and the more so, as he belonged to the community 
of Moravian brethren, and the inn was the one patronized by 
that society. But how great was our surprise, when, after a resi- 
dence of six weeks, and just as we had received permission to 
go to New York, we were served with a bill of thirty-two thou- 



* The German expression for one wlio temporizes. 



166 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

sand dollars, that is to say, ia American paper money, wliicli is 
about four liuudred guineas in actual money. Had it not been 
for a royalist, who just at this time chanced to pass through the 
village seeking to purchase hard money at any price, we should 
have been placed in the greatest embarrassment, and would not 
have been able by any possibility to leave the town. From him, 
we were so fortunate as to receive for one piaster, eighty dollars 
in paper money.* 

/ My husband suifered greatly the whole time from constant 
pains in his head ; and at night he could scarcely breathe. To 
obtain a little relief, he now accustomed himself to use snuff, a 
practice, which until this period, he had regarded with the great- 
est aversion. I first persuaded him to take one pinch. He 
believed that I was making fun of him; but as the very next 
instant after the trial, he experienced relief, he exchanged his 
pipe for a snuff-box. My little Caroline was very sick, with a 
choking cough and, as I became continually further advanced 
in pregnancy, we all heartily wished to reach New York as soon 
as possible, in order to have near at hand the comforts of life, 
good nursing, and all necessary help. 

In Bethlehem, as in all other Moravian communities, there 
were separate houses for the brethren and sisters. In the latter 
establishments they made magnificent embroidery, and other 
beautiful handiworks, and we bought at these places several 
articles. A Miss Girsdorff, a German, who afterwards resided 
at Herrnhut, had taught the sisters all these kinds of work. 
The houses of this community were well built, and there were 
at this place all sorts of manufactories. Among others, there 
was one that dressed leather, which was as good as that of Eug- 



* In the month of December, 180(5, a merchant in New York received from a Ger- 
man house, two hundred dollars in Continental money, with the request that it 
might be placed to his credit. It is not at all an improbable supposition, that this 
was part of some Continental money which had been carried over to Germany, after 
the Revolution, by the German auxiliaries. Anburey in his Travels, says, that he 
discharged in an inn at Frederickstown, a reckoning of £732 sterling with about 
four guineas and a half. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDE8EL. 167 

land, and half as cheap. The gentlemen of our party bought a 
quantity of it. There were also very clever cabinet-makers, 
workers in steel, and excellent smiths. We had very much 
wished to see Philadelphia, which is only twelve or thirteen 
miles from Bethlehem, and to which place there is a clear, good 
road. But as this was not allowed to my husband and the other 
gentlemen, and, as I wished to share with my beloved husband 
his joys and sorrows, I cheerfully gave it up. While at Beth- 
lehem we often went to church, and enjoyed the splendid sing- 
ing. The wife of the minister died while we were there. We 
saw her laid out in a separate enclosure, with bars, waiting for 
burial ; for here they never keep a dead body in the house. 

Finally, at the end of November, 1779, we again set out from 
Bethlehem. My husband. General Phillips, and their several 
aid-de-camps, had not, indeed, been exchanged, but permission 
had been received for them to go to New York on parole. I did 
not wish to call again on the Van Horns, for I despise double 
dealing people ; but we had the fatality of having our wagon 
break down before their very door, so that I was forced to tarry 
with them until the damage could be repaired. I did not, how- 
ever, remain over night at their house ; and when they again 
asked that we should recommend them, and assured us of their 
devotion to the king, in whose army the head of the family had 
served as a colonel, I answered coldly that I believed he did not 
need our recommendations; which reply he was welcome to take 
as he pleased. We came, also, once more to Elizabeth-town, 
where we were again kindly received, embarked upon the Hud- 
son river, and reached New York very late in the evening, 
where my husband, who had gone on ahead of us, had already 
arrived before me. A soldier, who at the gateway, had been 
ordered to show us the way, conducted us to a very great and 
beautiful house, where we found every thing prepared for our 
reception, and better than all, a good supper. I was too much 
occupied in putting my children to bed, and too tired to inquire 
where I was, and supposed I was in a public-house. My husband, 



1(38 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

who had taken tea with General Cornwallis, came home late. 
The next morning a servant came in to ask me what I desired for 
dinner, and how many visitors I would probably have daily at 
table; I replied that as my husband did not dine at home, I should 
not need more than three dishes for six persons, namely : myself, 
my children, my women servants, and the pastor, Mylius, the 
chaplain of my husband's regiment, whom we retained in our 
family, and who gave my children instruction in every thing 
useful. He was a man of piety and of excellent character, and 
good humor; and the children and we all loved him very much. 
I was then told that the order had been given to serve up on my 
table every day six large, and four small dishes. Being still 
under the impression that I was in a tavern, I decidedly forbade 
this profusion, as I dreaded the bill. But I soon discovered, 
that I was staying at the house of the governor, General Tryon, 
who had forbiden them to tell me where I had been taken, 
through fear that I would not accept of his house.* This noble 
minded man, moreover, in order to avoid my thanks, crossed 
over to Long Island, where he had a provisional command. All 
my wishes were anticipated, and I was only in continual fear 
lest I should abuse so much kindness. I also received a call 
from General Patterson, the commandant of the city, who told 
me that they were still busy with the arrangement of the house 
which we were to have as our own residence. Lord Cornwallis 



* The site of the present [18G7] Bank of New York. 

"On the night of December 2!)th, 1773, the government house accidentally caught 
fire. So rapid was the progress of the flames that in a few moments after the alarm 
was given, a thick cloud of smoke and flame pervaded the whole building, and in 
less than two hours it was entirely consumed. From this dreadful conflagration, 
nothing in the building, except a few articles of furniture, taken from one of the par- 
lors was saved. The manner in which the fire originated was not discovered. The 
deep snow which covered the roofs of the other buildings in the city, contributed 
towards their protection, and the fire department of the city showed great activity 
in preventing the progress of the flames. Gov. Tryon was a resident of the govern- 
ment house in the fort at the time of its destruction, and was a heavy loser by the 
event. He afterwards resided in a house on the corner of Wall and William streets , 
the same house having been subsequently, and until late years occupied by the Bank 
of New Yox^y— Valentine'' s Manual for 18G4, page G43. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEBESEL. 1G9 

and General Clinton likewise came to see me. Tlie former 
went off soon afterwards upon an expedition. The latter offered 
me a country-seat, of which he had the disposal, where I might 
have my children inoculated with the small-pox j an operation 
which it would be dangerous to have performed in the city, as 
that disease was raging there violently. I accepted his offer with 
much satisfaction, and we made all necessary preparations to go 
there. I gave our cook ten guineas to purchase all kinds of 
provisions. But when he very soon came back and asked for 
more money, I learned to my surprise that the money I had given 
him would scarcely last for two days — so dear was every thing, 
even the commonest thing. For example, one pound of meat, 
reckoning according to our money, cost twelve groschen ;* one 
pound of butter, eighteen groschen; one turkey, four rix-tha- 
lers ; a fowl twenty groschen ; an egg, four groschen ; a quart 
of milk, six groschen; a bushel of potatoes, two rix-thalers ; a 
half bushel of turnips, two florins; ten oysters, eight groschen, 
and six onions, one rix-thaler. But what was there left for me 
to do, but to bear it with patience 1 \ 

One day a general was announced. I received him, and, in 
the course of conversation, he asked me, among other things. 



* A groschen, as has been mentioned in a preceding note, is a fraction over three 
American cents. 

t All contemporaneous accounts fully corroborate the statement of our authoress. 
The rich, in the city, at first strove to keep up their six courses, their three side ser- 
vices, and their profusion of fish, flesh and fowl ; but at length their resources failed ; 
many articles of food could no longer be obtained, and others were so dear as to ex- 
haust the means of the wealthiest. A turkey was cheap at four dollars. Good meat 
could seldom be procured, and vegetables were extravagantly dear. Fifty dollars, 
says an eye witness, would not feed a family for two days. Sir Henry Clinton en- 
treated the farmers in the vicinity to bring in provisions, but in vain. Nor was he 
more successful in the foraging parties he sent out. At sight of the enemy, the 
alarm was given. The farmers of Westport and Southport, of Elizabeth-town and 
Rahway, hastily buried their corn and oats beneath the snow, and old family furni- 
ture was carried off at midnight and hidden in the depths of the forest. The Bri- 
tish foraging parties, accordingly, found the barns empty, the cattle driven ofl", and 
the farm-houses deserted. In their rage the foragers set fire to the old homesteads, 
and desolated whole districts — thus increasing the general misery without accom- 
plishing the least good. 



170 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

whether I was satisfied with my quarters ? My heart was too 
full of thankfulness for all the kindness that had been shown 
me, not to give full vent to my feelings in this regard ; and I 
at last expressed the wish to know personally my noble bene- 
factor who had treated me with so much delicacy. He laughed, 
and just at that moment my husband stepped in and said to 
me, " That is the man who has shown us so much kindness !" 
I was so delighted at seeing him, that I could not find words 
to express my feelings. Upon seeing my emotion the man was 
very much aifected. I have invariably received from him the 
the greatest proofs of his friendship. 

The country residence of General Clinton, where we went, 
was an hour's ride from the city. The grounds were beautiful, 
as was also the house ; but the latter was arranged more for a 
summer residence, and, as we had come there in the month of 
December, we sufi'ered much from the cold. Notwithstanding 
this, however, the inoculation was perfectly successful. Accord- 
ingly, as it was now completed, and we had nothing more to fear 
from the infection, we got ourselves in readiness to return to 
the city, and sent our cook and the rest of our servants ahead to 
prepare every thing for our arrival, which we expected would 
be upon the following day. During the night, however, we had 
such a terrible storm that we believed the whole house would 
be overturned. As it was, an entire balustrade actually fell 
down with a dreadful crash ; and, on getting up the next morning, 
we saw that on account of snow having fallen during the night 
four or five feet on the level, and eight feet in drifts, it would 
be utterly impossible to venture forth without sledges. I there- 
fore went to work to hunt up all that I could find for our dinner. 
An old hen that had been forgotten served us for soup, and some 
potatoes which the gardener gave us, with some salt meat that 
still remained over from our stock of provisions, made up the 
entire meal for more than fourteen persons, which number we 
then were. 

While I was standing, the same afternoon, by the window. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. \1\ 

thoroughly perplexed, I saw our cook approaching on horseback. 
Filled with joy, I turned round to the rest of the company to 
announce the auspicious arrival. But upon again looking out, 
I could not see or hear any thing more of the cook ! Terrified 
at his disappearance, the gentlemen immediately ran out, and 
found him, together with his horse, completely buried in the 
snow, from which position without their help he could not have 
got out, and perhaps never would have been able to extricate 
himself. Our people had been quite uneasy at our non-arrival, 
and, as they knew our larder was completely exhausted, the cook 
had brought us some provisions which supplied us with an eve- 
ning meal. It was impossible to drive into the city in a wagon. 

The morning of the next day brought us Captain Willoe with 
two large sledges, in which we seated ourselves. I was, however, 
not without anxiety, in regard to the children, whose pocks had 
not yet entirely dried up, on account of the terrible cold weather. 
The ride, however, did them no injury whatever. During the 
period of inoculation Carolina lost her whooping-cough, but 
immediately after it came back again and lasted a whole year. 

On our return to New York I found, to my great amazement, 
our new dwelling fitted up throughout with mahogany furniture. 
I was at first frightened at the expense which this would occa- 
sion. But Captain Willoe informed me that the entire cost 
would be defrayed by the governor, and that the commandant, 
General Patterson, considered himself fortunate in being able to 
justify the confidence which I had placed in the English nation. 
To render this remark intelligible, I must here state that I had 
assured him, when he consulted me upon the arrangement of our 
house, that I would leave every thing entirely to the English, 
from whom, up to the present time, I had received sincere kind- 
ness and courtesy, and who certainly would still preserve towards 
us that full confidence, which they had shown towards us. 

They overwhelmed us with distinguished marks of courtesy 
and friendship, for which we had, in a great measure, to thank 
General Phillips, who in New York was very much beloved, and 



172 LETTERS AND JOUItNALS 

was so strong a friend of ours, that lie declared tliat whatever 
was done for us, would flatter him more than as if done for him- 
self. I had also the good fortune during our stay to make 
many friends on my own account. 
^ As the birth-day of the queen of England was approaching 
t^ ' (which indeed really comes in summer, but as the king's birth- 
day also comes in that season, is celebrated in winter, to give 
more custom to the trades people, as every one upon those days 
appears at court in gala-dress) they wished to celebrate the day 
with a great fete; and as it was the general wish — partly to 
please General Phillips, and partly to make me forget my own 
sufferings — to confer on me a distinguished honor, they desired 
me to be queen of the ball. In order to bring this about they 
persuaded the wife of General Cornwallis's adjutant — who as 
an English lady of noble birth would have had precedence over - 
me — to remain at home, on the ground that she was near her 
confinement.* When at length the great day arrived, all the 
ladies assembled at Governor Tryon's, where they received me 
with all ceremony. The general introduced me to all the ladies, 
some of whom were envious of the honor which was shown me. 
But I immediately declared that I received this distinction only 
on account of the day, as they had conferred on me the honor of 
representing the queen, and that in future I would give place 
to those ladies who were older than I. As there were quite a 
number present who were my elders, my explanation conciliated 
them. Their countenances, accordingly, quickly brightened up, 
and I was soon upon a pleasant footing with the whole company. 

At six o'clock in the afternoon I was obliged to seat myself 
in a carriage with Generals Tryon and Patterson to be driven 
to the ball, where we were received with kettle-drums and 
trumpets. 

I wished, as I was far advanced with child, not to dance. 



* As Madam Riedesel was in a similar situation herself, the validity of this i 
ciise is not so apparent. 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. I73 

But I was obliged to open the ball with one of the generals by 
a formal minuet. My situation as well as my bashfulness was 
the occasion of my thinking myself very awkward. In order, 
however, to remove my timidity, they all assured me that I did 
very well, and must dance once more ; and the result was, that 
I danced several English dances. 

At supper, I was obliged, as I represented the queen, to sit 
under a canopy, and drink the first toast. I was certainly 
much touched at all the marks of friendship I received, although 
extremely tired; still, in order to show my gratitude, I cheer- 
fully stayed as long as possible, and remained until two o'clock 
in the morning. Not only on this occasion, but during the 
whole of my sojourn in this place, I was loaded with kindness; 
and I passed the remainder of the winter very pleasantly, with 
the exception of sufiering very much from the cold, as the com- 
missary had not had a sufficient quantity of wood cut. To save 
expense, he had this work done by his negro slaves ; and the 
winter setting in earlier than usual, and it being impossible, as 
the river was frozen half over, to bring in wood either by boats 
or sledges, many of the garrison sufiered for fuel. We, indeed, 
received an order for it ; but how did that help the matter since 
there was no wood to be had ? We were, therefore, often obliged 
to borrow wood of General Tryou for Saturday and Sunday, which 
we would return on Monday if we received any. The cold was 
so intense, that I frequently made the children lie in bed in 
order to keep them warm. Wood often could not be purchased 
for money; and if by chance a little was for sale, it cost ten 
pounds by the cord. I have myself paid one piaster (which 
is a crown with us) for a single stick. The poor were obliged 
to burn fat, in order to warm themselves and cook their meals.* 



* "The wealthy," writes a contemporary, "shivered for cold iu their splendid 
apartments. In vain did Sir Henry Clinton issue proclamations to the farmers of 
Long Island to send in their wood. In vain did he dispatch foraging parties to cut 
down the forests on the large estates of the patriots William Floyd and William 
Smith, the patroous of Long Island. The demand for fuel could not be supplied. 



174 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

One day I was at the house of the lady of General Covuwallis's 
aid-de-camp, who had beeu confined, and complained bitterly of 
this lack of wood; whereupou, she promised to send me some 
coals, which I could return at my own convenience. I showed 
so much joy at this, that a certain major named Brown, who 
happened to be present and was attached to the commissa- 
riat, and who had already expressed much sympathy at our 
want of wood, was so much affected that he immediately left the 
room. 

The next day, as I was looking out of the window, I saw 
quite a number of wagons full of chopped trees standing still in 
the street. Each wagon contained two cords of wood. I went 
into the room where the pastor, Mylius, sat with the children 
before the fire-place in which the last stick was burning, and said 
to him, " Never before have I been envious, but now the distress 
andpain which these poor children suffer, make me so; for just 
now there has come to our very door four wagons filled with wood. 
How happy would I be if I only had some of it ! " Scarcely had 
I thus spoken, when a servant brought me a message from Major 
Brown, stating that he had sent me these loads of wood with his 
compliments, and begging us to send to him whenever we should 
again be out of fuel. Imagine my joy, and my eagerness to thank 
our guardian angel. I had scarcely seen his face, as the lying-in 
chamber of milady had been so dark. Some days after I was at 
a ball where he also was expected to be present. He had been 
described to me as a man with a very prominent turned up nose. 
For such a person, therefore, I looked attentively; but I was 
obliged to look for a long time, because the excellent man kept 
continually out of my way, that I might have no opportunity 
to thank him. At last, however, I found him and thanked him 
right heartily. He then told me that up to that time he had 
known nothing of our necessity, but that when he heard my story 



andthe Baroness Riedesel, the caressed of all the army, sufl'ered severely iu that 
iuclemeut winte.r." 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 175 

he had not been able to go to sleep quietly the whole night, through 
fear that the dispositions which he had already made for our 
relief would not arrive sufficiently speedy. These " dispositions " 
consisted in giving the order to cut down some of the trees in 
the great avenue in front of the city ; * and when this proceed- 
ing was objected to on the ground that it would make consider- 
able damage, he replied, that it was much better to spare a few 
trees than to have a family, who had served the king with so 
much zeal, suffer from want. He further told me that in future 
we must, under all circumstances, whenever any thing was want- 
ing that it belonged to the commissary to supply, apply directly 
to him. This acquaintance was of great advantage to us. My 
husband was supplied with many kinds of provisions ; with In- 
dian meal, part of which we used for bread and part for cake, and 
also with salted meat, which latter article, however, was entirely 
useless to us, as we received more than we could consume; and' 
it often was so uneatable that I gave it away to get rid of it, 
especially dnce our servants were also supplied with the same 
kind of food. The major, accordingly, advised us to pursue the 
same plan in this regard as the other generals, viz : to exchange 
our meat for boxes of tallow and candles of spermaceti (which 
burn better and are more beautiful than those of wax), and also 
for butter, which they did gladly, as they were obliged to sup- 
ply the soldiers with meat. By this means, we saved consider- 



,• * Probably, the present Wall street. All the principal highways of the city were 
adorned at this period with luxuriant shade trees. A celebrated traveler, who 
visited New York, just previous to the arrival of Governor Tryou, thus describes the 
various kinds then growing in the city. " In the chief streets there are trees planted, 
which in summe ■ give them a fine appearance, and during the excessive heat at 
that time, afford a cooling shade. I found it extremely pleasant to walk in the 
town, for it seemed quite lilve a garden. The trees which are planted for this pur- 
pose are chiefly of two kinds ; the water beich is the most numerous, and gives an 
agreeable shade in summer by its large and numerous leaves. The locust tree is 
likewise frequent : Its fine leaves and the odoriferous scent which exhales from its 
flowers, make it very proper for being planted in the streets, near the houses and 
in the gardens. There are likewise lime trees and elms in these walks, but they are 
not, by far, so frequent as the others. One seldom meets with trees of the same 
sort adjoining each other, they being in general placed alternately." 



276 LETTERS AND JOVRNALS 

able. We were now no longer troubled for tlie want of wood, 
for they broke to pieces an old and worthless ship in order to 
furnish us with fuel, and from this time we received weekly two 
cords of fire-wood. 

A little while before my confinement I had a dreadful 
fright. One of our servants brought me something, and I 
noticed that his eyes rolled, and that he could scarcely speak. 
I was terrified, and attempted to run out of the room, but he ran 
ahead of me, fell down, slammed to the door in his fall, and 
immediately was attacked with an awful infirmity.* As he lay 
directly in front of the door, rendering it impossible for me to 
escape, I began to call out and shriek. The persons in the 
house endeavored to come in to my assistance, but the lock was 
sprung and they were obliged to break open the door. Even 
then the poor man had to be pushed aside to make room ; and I was 
finally obliged to leap over him to get out, he in the mean time 
gnashing his teeth in a horrible manner, and beating himself 
with his hands. But I had been for such a long time accus- 
tomed to sad and dreadful sights, that this circumstance fortu- 
nately did me no injury in my delicate situation. 

In the beginning of the month of March, 1780, an old acquaint- 
ance of ours came to New York, the Hessian General Loos, who 
had known me in my girlhood. " Why ! " said he to me, as he 
looked at me from head to foot, " what has become of your 
slender waist, your beautiful complexion, and your fair white 
hands ! They are gone, but in their stead you have seen many 
lands ; and when you again return home you will be called upon 
by this and that one of your acquaintance to relate your adven- 
tures, and, perhaps, the very next instant, those very ladies, 
who first asked you, will out of envy, declare your narrative 
wearisome, and while playing with their fans, will say, ' The 
woman can talk of nothing but America.'" As I knew before- 
time, that it was very much his custom to speak the truth, 



■Probalily an epilpptic fit. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. I'J'J 

seemingly in jest, I answered that I thanked him for the caution, 
and would endeavor to guard myself against the weakness of talk- 
ing constantly of this journey, into which fault I might otherwise 
easily have fallen. On my side, however, I counseled him, 
that when with other women, he should also guard himself 
against speaking of the perishability of their charms, as he had 
done in regard to mine, otherwise he might find many who would 
not take it as good naturedly as myself. 

,;* On the following day, which was the seventh of March, I was 
brought to bed with a daughter. My husband wished very much 
for a son, but the little one was so pretty that we were soon 
consoled for its not being a boy. We had intended, in case it 
had been a boy, to have named it Americus, which wo now 
changed for the little girl into America. The baptism, how- 
ever, was so hurried, owing to the fact that General Phillips, 
who, with the Hessian General Knyphausen, and Colonel Wurmb, 
was the only sponsor, was obliged to leave town on a short 
expedition, that the name of America was forgotten; and we 
were obliged afterward to have it placed on the parish register. 
The same day, my eldest daughter was seized with a dangerous 
illness, called asthma infantile, and some days afterward my 
third child became also very sick ; and, I, therefore, lay in 
bed between both my almost dying children. But if my heart 
suffered deeply, my body had by this time become enured to 
hardship, and I got along nicely, although I was in the first days 
of my confinement. Six weeks afterward, my husband per- 
suaded me to accompany him to a dinner given by General 
Tryon. This had been concerted between them for a particular 
object; for while I was absent my husband had the child inocu- 
lated by an English physician, as the small-pox was raging 
violently in the city. He, therefore, had it done without my 
knowledge in order to save me anxiety, and he would probably 
have succeeded, had not his fatherly uneasiness betrayed him. 
But he was continually going every instant to look at the child, 
23 



178 LETTEES AND J URNALS 

and in a little while, said, " Alas ! liow pale slie is," or, " She is 
certainly sick ; " so that I, wondering at all these expressions, 
at last, said, that he must most assuredly have a reason for feel- , 
ing so uneasy, and asked him if he had had the child inoculated? 
Immediately I rolled back the sleeves, and there sure enough 
were two pocks on each arm. I must confess that for a moment 
I was quite provoked; still I appreciated the good intention 
of my husband. The child was so bad that we feared we 
should lose her. My poor husband was inconsolable, accusing 
himself of being the cause of this misfortune; and I had enough 
to do in keeping up his spirits. But God be praised it came out 
all right in the end. The experiment, however, did not termi- 
nate so happily with a nobleman who followed our example, for 
he was so unfortunate as to lose his child. 

Throughout the whole winter, Generals Phillips, Tryon and 
Patterson were our constant friends and guests, and every week 
we gave a gentleman's dinner party. This was all that we could 
afford to do, as every thing was so terribly high in the city. At 
the end of the winter General Tryon sailed for England, but 
just before his departure, he sent to my house, unbeknown to 
me, magnificent furuiture, tapestry, carpets, and curtains, 
besides a set of silk hangings for an entire room. Never shall 
I forget the many marks of friendship which I have received 
from almost every one of this excellent nation ; and it will always 
be to me a source of satisfaction to be able at any time to be of 
use to the English, as I have learned by experience how plea- 
sant it is to receive kindness from foreigners. 

About this time our friendly relations began witji our excel- 
lent friend General Clinton, who was the general-in-chicf of the 
English army in the southern provinces of America. As is the 
case with every Englishman, it was at first very difficult for our 
acquaintance to ripen into intimacy. His first call upon us was 
one of ceremony, as he came as general in-chief, attended by 
his entire staff. As his general appearance and conversation 
were agreeable, I said to his friend, General Phillips, that I 



OF MRS. GExVERAL RIEDESEL. I79 

regretted tliat lie treated us witli so luucli ceremony, and that a 
more frieadly manner would liave better accorded with our feel- 
ings. Afterwards he invited us out to his country-seat to spend 
the summer, an invitation which was accepted. His country 
residence was magnificent, a most beautiful situation, orchard, 
and meadows, and the Hudson river running directly in front 
of the house. Every thing was placed at our disposal, including 
fruits of the most delicious flavor; indeed, of this latter arti- 
cle we had more than we could eat. Our servants feasted on 
peaches even to satiety, and our horses, which roamed through 
the orchards, eagerly ate the fruit from the trees, disdaining that 
upon the ground, which every evening we had gathered up and 
given to the pigs to fatten them. It seems almost incredible, 
but nevertheless it is true, that with nothing but this fruit we 
fattened six pigs, the flesh of which was capital, only the fat 
was somewhat soft. Peach, apricot, and other fruit trees, are 
raised here, without espaliers, and have trunks as thick as those 
^ ordinary trees. 

1 Not far from us were the Hell-gates, which are dangerous 
|eakers for those ships that pass through them up the river, 
le often saw ships in danger, but only one was wrecked and 
\i]t to peices during our stay at this place, 
v-eneral Clinton came often to visit us, but in hunter's dress, 
^ipanied by only one aid-de-camp. On one of these occa- 
he said to us, "I feel confident that you look upon me 
IS a friend than a stranger, and as I feel the same toward 
p ju shall always be regarded by me as such. The last time 
jme to see us, he had with him the unfortunate — as he after- 
1? became — Major Andre, who, the day afterward, set out 
the fatal expedition, in which he was captured by the 
cans, and afterwards hung as a spy. It was very sad that 
aeminently excellent young man should have fallen a 
lo his zeal and his kind heart, which led him to under- 
Ji a precarious errand instead of leaving it to older and 
ficers, to whom properly the duty belonged, but whom 



i: 



LETTERS AND JOUBSALS 
^^' tasftey would be more exposed to dangev), 

on that very account (as tliey wo 

te wished to sate. this most agreeable place ; but 

We passed much of our tme ^ „„Viguaut fever, 

„„ contentment «s broken m upo y .__ __^^ ^^^ .,^ ^,„„^, 
that prevailed iu New Tork, and o ^ ^^^ „^,, 

twenty fell iU; -s'^'/X ettavf O^e can imagine my 
n>y husband and "J «-f " ^j^J^t I did nothing but div.do 
gaef and apprehension; ^ay and -..= , ^,, f„™«. 

ly nursing between my h-'T,^ ™ „,d °n„t survive the day ; 
,L so ill, that we often thought h wo ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^,,, 

andGnstava had such -f ^ J^nZith the ague, to lay my- 
entreated me, when she was sh verm ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^,,^,, 

self upon her, at which times she violeu y ^^ ^^^ 

: th her bed, although she was only u-,e .^ ^^^,, fits 

;ently happened that ' -;-^;/„t^a tell me of fifty orsUty 
of shaking; ='"* ""^'^ f "° f-T^ot tend to raise my spirits, 
fresh bnrials, which eerta.nly did no te ^^^ . ^^^^.^ ^^^^^ 

The heat which the siek suffeied -as so ^^ ^^, 

Lt one hundred and tliirty.iive.mes;n ^^ ^^ 

servants were siek, and of our o ^^^ ^^^ 

thing. I w- *- "Tlie dow scept while giving her tl 
opportunity nor desire to he down P^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^„ ^^,^, 

hreast. At such times I laid ■!" ^ ^i.^t, a lemei 

At nightl was oftenbnsicd in n k n^^^^^^ JJ ^^„^^ ^^, , 
of salts of wormwood m«ed «tl 1 ^^^ ^3^^^^ ^^^^,^^^^,^_ j, 
;^:rs;rof::^w:eks,twofnllbo.esoflemous,ea,^^^ 

containing five hundred^ , ,,,,^ f.„m New York wit^ 
One day, we o^^pect^* t^ V ^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^.^, , ,„ore/ 

utmost impatience. «?""='" ,„ ju that out ec/ 

,,ea, and constant vomi.ngdbeea^,^^^^^_^^^^^^, 

completely gave way. He si p ,oe„mmended t, 

to,ivehmasag.«t^^^^^,„,„,,,t„anow/ 
ti"*he;::id:; hold out much longer., 



OF MliS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. \^\ 

moment the physician came in, and I pressed him to tell me 
candidly if he thought there was still any hope. " Yes, surely," 
said he. At this confident answer, our two oldest children 
whom we had not observed (as, fearing that the opinion of the 
doctor would be unfavorable, they had hidden under the table to 
listen), when they saw the good news upon my face, suddenly 
sprung up, threw themselves at his feet and kissed his hands. 
Every one who witnessed this scene with me was deeply moved ; 
and the doctor, himself, who was a man full of feeling, was 
affected to tears. Before this, he had visited us very punctu- 
ally, but now he redoubled his attentions, and so managed it as 
to dine with us every day that he might lose no time, as he had 
many patients. He recommended to me strongly a drink made 
of sago-powder and water. At first he remained with my hus- 
band three minutes, then five, and then fifteen, and finally a whole 
half hour. I had always a watch in my hand, and I was beside 
myself for joy at the increased length of his visits, a feeling in 
which every one that was with me shared. The pastor, Mylius, 
and our trusty yager, iRockel, both of whom remained well, 
assisted me by turns in watching at night. Of thirty persons 
who composed our family, only ten remained in good health. 
The cook, cook-maid, etc., were all sick, and could work only on 
their alternate well days; and in addition to which, the weather 
was terribly hot. It is perfectly amazing what mankind can 
endure, and what I also went through. But I was well, and 
blessed with a cheerful happy temperament, which made me 
receive the smallest particle of hope with heartfelt joy. I cer- 
tainly believe that by degrees the health is undermined by 
repeated sufferings; still, I thankfully rejoice that I was able to 
be of use, and that without my attentions, I might, perhaps, have 
lost the dear objects of my affection, who now contribute so much 
to my happiness. At length all of our household who were 
sick were restored to health, and not one died, a result that 
abundantly paid me for all my trouble. 

We remained the entire summer of 1780, upon this lovely 



182 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

estate. Two Miss Robinsons came to sliare our loneliness, and 
enliven our little company. They remained with us a fortnight 
previous to our return to the city, when the news of the arrival 
of a ship from England bringing over the latest fashions, took 
them back again to the town.. On our return to the city, I 
scarcely recognized them in their odd and actually laughable 
garb, which a very pretty woman, just over from England, had 
imposed upon them and the other New York ladies.. This 
lady was with child and did not wish it to be known. Accord- 
ingly, she made them think that in England they wore bodices 
which were parted in the middle, whereby the points stuck 
upwards, hoops as large around as those of a hogshead, and very 
short cloaks tied up with ribbons, all of which they believed 
implicitly and copied after.* 

Upon our return to New York we were received in the most 
friendly manner ; and our friends vied with each other in mak- 
ing the winter pass most pleasantly. My husband. General 
Phillips, and their aid-de-camps, were finally exchanged in the 
autumn of 1780 ; but the rest of the troops captured at Sara- 
toga remained prisoners. 

General Clinton, partly through friendship to my husband, 
and partly out of attachment to our present duke, wished to place 
General Riedesel in active service where he could serve to 
advantage. He, therefore, by virtue of the power which an 
English general has in his own army, appointed him lieutcu- 



* The taste for fasliiouablc frivolity and display seems to have been the only thing 
unaffected by the privations of that gloomy winter. Eugene Laurence, in speaking 
of New York city at this time, in a paper read before the New York Historical So- 
ciety, January 0th, 1857, says: " Meanwhile in the midst of all this suffering and 
want, the city streets were filled with the fashions and the luxuries of Europe. The 
ladies crowded William street, and the merchants spread out the most costly 
wares. French silks captured in some unlucky vessels sold readily at extravagant 
rates. Lutestrings and poplins, brocades and the best broad-cloth of England, were 
shown on the counters of William street and Wall ; and it is a curious circumstance, 
that through all the war, William Prince, of Flushing, continued his advertisement 
of fruit and flowers, of magnolias and apricots, and of the finest gi-afts and the 
rarest seeds." 



OF MBS. GEJVEFAL RIEDESEL. 183 

ant- general, and gave him the corresponding English allow- 
ance; which, on account of the dearness of every thing (by 
reason of which we had had difficulty in making both ends 
meet), proved very acceptable to us. At the same time he gave 
him a command at Long Island, which island lies opposite New 
York, being separated from it by only a narrow channel called 
the East river. I was not able during the winter to be with 
him, as the house, in which he had his quarters, was not habit- 
able for me, as it was possible to heat only a few rooms in it. 
My husband, accordingly, went back and forth, which he easily 
did all winter, as every thing was quiet. The autumn before he 
was appointed to this post, he had a severe relapse of his old 
complaint, caused probably by a cold which he caught by going 
in sea-bathing while heated. He suddenly became perfectly 
stiff and could not speak ; and had it not been for friend Colo- 
nel Wurmb, who, fortunately, was in his room, it might, perhaps, 
have been all over with him. The doctor immediately opened 
a vein and rubbed him strongly, and God once more spared him 
to me ) but his cramps, oppressions, headaches, and drowsiness 
increased. All the physicians gave it as their opinion that the 
climate thoroughly disagreed with him, and that he never would 
be any better as long as he remained in the southern provinces 
of North America. Still there was nothing else for us to do. 
My husband could not think of receiving permission to leave, 
and was, therefore, obliged to remain at his post. 

In the spring of 1781, I also settled down on Long Island, 
where we, although pretty lonesome, might have lived perfectly 
contented if we only could have been without solicitude : but 
as the river was not frozen over, the Americans constantly 
attempted surprises in order to take prisoners. Major May- 
baum was drawn out of his bed ; and we knew that they aimed 
to do the same thing with my husband. Our house was situ- 
ated close to the shore and was perfectly isolated, so that if they 
had overcome the watch, they could easily have carried him 
away. Every one was therefore constantly on the watch. 



\ 



184 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

Througliout the entire night, at the slightest noise, he would 
wake up and place himself in readiness for an attack ; and thus 
he lost considerable sleep. I also became so accustomed to 
watching, that day light would often surprise me, when I would 
lie down and catch a few hours sleep ; for it was only when my 
husband believed that I was wide awake and on guard, that he 
would allow himself to sleep — so terrible was to him the 
thought that he might again be taken prisoner. We had from 
our house a magnificent prospect. Every evening I saw from 
my window the city of New York entirely lighted up, and, as 
the city is built close to the shore, I saw its reflection in the 
water. We heard also the beating of the drums, and, if every 
thing was particularly still, even the calls of the sentinels. We 
had our own boat and could cross over in it to New York in a 
quarter of an hour. 

One day I saw out of a window of my room, a fleet of thirty- 
five ships approaching under full sail, and shortly afterward, 
from another window, I perceived them all lying at anchor 
between us and the city. My husband had many English under 
his command, and among others the light dragoons. Although 
the English troops are proud, and, as it is said, difficult to 
manage, yet they loved my husband, and were perfectly contented 
under his command. On one occasion, when the English offi- 
cers were dining with us, my husband said to them that he 
would accompany them back to their camp ; whereupon they 
very politely begged me also to go with the party. I, therefore, 
seated myself in a carriage, and reached the camp ia advance of 
them. But I believe that they had sent word of my arrival 
ahead of me, for an officer came up, and, to my great perplexity, 
requested me to get out of the carriage and walk with him down 
the line. Upon my complying with his request, I was greeted 
with all military honors, even to the beating of drums, which still 
more increased my confusion. I remarked to the officer that 
this was not suitable to me, and that we German women were 
not accustomed to such distinctions. But he at once very politely 



OF MES. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 185 

answered tliat their wliole corps could not sufficiently honor the 
wife of a general who, as their commanding officer, treated them 
with so much kindness j/ind more than all this, they would 
never forget what I had done for their comrades at Saratoga. 
Although not unmindful of all this, which was very flattering and 
agreeable, I welcomed the first favorable moment to get away. 

During our sojourn in this place, I often saw people buried 
up to their necks in the earth ; for in this manner they cure 
the scurvy. 

We had a hospital in this place, in which were many wounded 
and invalid sailors. These good people replied to those who 
bewailed their fate : " We have fought for our king, and are 
satisfied, and when we are once in Chelsea,* we shall be suffici- 
ently rewarded." This is an excellent hospital for seamen, 
near London, where they are kept, clothed, and nursed in the 
best manner. 

About this time, General Phillips was sent ofi" on an expedition 
to Carolina. The parting on both sides was painful. We never 
again beheld this excellent friend, for he died there of an inflam- 
matory fever, which he brought upon him by exposure. We 
have always mourned his loss. He was a very brave man, and a 
thorough friend to his friends. 

As the health of my husband did not get any better, and 
his presence, moreover, was necessary to that portion of his 
corps which had remained behind in Canada, General Clinton 
was finally induced to send him thither, although he loved 
him so much that he parted from him with regret. This friend- 
ship continued between them — although separated — until the 
death of the former general. 

As the time of our departure had been continually very uncer- 
tain, I had not. wished to wean my little daughter America, and 
had accordingly nursed her the whole of the fourteen months. 
Finally, however, she became so large that I feared my milk would 



'I. e., Greenwich Hospital. 

24 



186 LETTERS AND JO UENALS 

not hold out, and I therefore weaned her the beginning of May. 
But by this course I immediately brouglit upon myself a mis- 
fortune which occasioned me even more vexation; namely, an 
eruption of the skin to which most of the people in this warm 
climate are subject. Little pimples come out over the whole 
limb, which itches so that one has no peace whatever. They 
come with the hot and disappear with the cold weather : other- 
wise the person is perfectly well. 

Our departure was determined upon for the month of July. 
I had for so long a time received my orders for wood, that 
during my sojourn upon Long Island, I had saved thirty cords; 
and I now wished to give them back to my excellent major of 
the commissariat, who had helped me so faithfully. But he 
Avould not receive it, but begged me me cither to sell it, or share 
it with the poor. "I know you," said the honest man, "you 
will take more satisfaction in alleviating distress." This was 
the view of the case that my husband and myself both took. 
We, therefore, gave twenty cords to a very worthy family of 
royalists, who had already lost much of their property and 
were afterwards obliged to emigrate, and divided the remaining 
ten cords among other poor families. 

Before going away, we desired to deliver up our furniture, 
but they did not wish to receive it, saying that it belonged to 
us, and that we had better take it with us to Canada, where we 
would certainly need it. We, however, did not wish to abuse so 
much kindness, and accordingly sent it back into the Royal 
magazine, except one English bedstead which we kept by way of 
remembrance. Nevertheless, I must frankly confess that 1 after- 
ward somewhat repented of my decision, partly because we found 
nothing whatever in Canada, and partly because this beautifully 
furnished Boyal magazine was subsequently plundered and 
burned by the Americans. At last we set out, or rather went, 
on board the ship,* for we remained at anchor within about an 



■ The name of the ship was the Little Seal. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 187 

hour's sail of New York, for more than a week. General Clin- 
ton, desiring our safe convoy, had selected an agent (ship's agent) 
whom he supposed to he an active and skilled man, and desired 
him to seek out from among those ships that were to sail, one 
that should be comfortable and at the same time a good sailer — 
one that could run away from danger and not be captured on the 
way. Bat this furnishes fresh evidence how the best of us are 
deceived ; for this agent was a corrupt, coarse and ignorant man, 
who either, through laziness, had not taken the trouble to 
examine the ship, or, as often happens, had been bribed by the 
ship's captain. But enough : we were placed on board one of 
the smallest and most miserable ships of the whole fleet, upon 
which, we were often in such danger from falling behind, that 
the captain of the second man pf-war, appointed to convoy us, 
was obliged to tow us, that is, to draw us along by a rope. For 
this purpose, one end of a great cable was attached to the towed 
ship, and the other was made fast to the man-of-war which drew 
us along. This, however, was very unpleasant, and often, indeed, 
dangerous; for if there was a calm, one ship would strike against 
the other, and if we had been so unlucky as to meet a ship of 
the enemy, we would have been obliged to receive the shock of 
battle. Besides, our ship had too few sailors, which would have 
been the cause of additional danger if we had been overtaken by 
a hurricane J in which case we should probably have been upset, as 
on account of the small number of men, we could not have taken 
in the sails quickly enough, especially as the ship was leaky and 
all the men would have had to be placed at the pumps. And to 
crown all, our ship was badly loaded, and lay so much upon one 
side, that we wore obliged, while on the passage, to fill empty 
casks with sea-water in order to give the ship the necessary 
equilibrium, an emergency which ought always to b.e guarded 
against. In addition to all this, the company of the above 
mentioned agent, was in the highest degree unpleasant. We 
were obliged to defray his expenses, and have him near us, 
wliere he made himself exceedingly troublesome by his grum- 



188 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

bling and wliiuing yawns, by wliich he wakened all the men on 
the ship, and even ourselves, although we were in another room. 
Just as we were on the eve of embarking, we met with still 
another great vexation. Our faithful negroes, a man, his wife 
and a young kinswoman of theirs, were reclaimed by their first 
owner (from whom they had been taken on the ground that he 
was a rebel), under the pretense that he had again become a 
royalist ; and he brought an order, that they should be delivered 
up to him, actually at the very moment in which the signal had 
been given for our departure. As they had served us faithfully, 
and the man was a bad master who treated them shockingly, 
the shrieks and lamentations of these poor people were very great. 
The young maiden (Phillis by name), fainted, and when she again 
came to herself, would hear nothing whatever about leaving us. 
She threw herself at my feet and embraced them with clasped 
hands so strongly, that they were obliged to tear her away by 
force. My husband ofiered her master money for her ; but when 
the latter observed that we wished so much to keep her, he de- 
manded for this girl thirty guineas, a sum which my husband did 
not wish to give. Had it not been at the very moment of our 
departure, I believe that we would have kept her notwithstand- 
ing. We made them a present of their clothing, and also the mat- 
tresses, which, in view of the voyage, we had had made for them. 
This very course, however, affected them still more, and Phillis 
cried out, " If I do not die, I will come again to you, even to the 
end of the world." This good maiden, also, afterward actually 
begged two or three persons to take her with them and bring 
her to me, adding at the same time, " My good lady will be very 
glad to pay my passage." She was perfectly right, but as none 
of these persons were confident in the matter, they were not 
willing to take charge of her. My husband had the money for 
this one purchase, but her greedy master, in order to compel us 
to buy them all three, refused to sell her separately ; and as this 
would have been too much for our pijrse, we were obliged to 
relinquish the design. We afterwards, however, repented that 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDEBEL. 189 

■w. did not make the sacrifice, as we found that the female 
domestics in Canada were too simple and too clumsy. 

The very first day of our voyage my eruption entirely disap- 
peared, which rejoiced me exceedingly. This distemper, how- 
ever, had rather an evil influence on my health the rest of my 
life, for three days afterward I was taken with such severe pains 
in my head and teeth, that I could neither eat nor sleep — and 
I had to endure this state of things day and night. The sharp- 
ness of the pain took hold of my very vitals ; and my feet were 
so cold that they could not be warmed even with hot water. 
They gave me opium, which, it is true, stupified me somewhat, 
but gave me no sleep, as my pains were too violent ; and I 
therefore suffered in this way during the whole voyage. 

We had all kinds of mishaps on our passage. Among other 
things, a ship, during a calm, once came too near us and gave 
us a tremendous thump, and we were obliged to push it away 
with poles. At another time, also, a ship, with its stern, tore 
away our little necessary, and it was very fortunate that no one 
was in it at the time. 

One day, while we were enveloped by a thick mist, we thought 
we saw land. Most fortunately, however, at the same instant 
the mist, owing to a gust of wind, suddenly drew up like a cur- 
tain ; and then the captain noticed with terror that we were at 
a place called Dusky-bay and close to a well known and dan- 
gerous rock, which, on account of its shape, is called the " old 
woman," and actually looks like one sitting there with bent back 
and bowed head. He immediately cried out to the captain of 
the man-of-war that had us in tow, who, making this voyage for 
the first time, did not know of this danger ; and at the same 
moment a favorable wind fortunately arose, which we used to 
such good advantage that in less than an hour we had left this bay, 
which by the way is full of rocks, and on which ships are often 
wrecked. . In the course of this voyage, we touched at Nova 
Scotia, where we lauded for a short time. We were welcomed 
at this place in the most friendly manner. The governor and 



190 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

his wife (botli amiable people) begged us at once to dine with 
them. We accepted this invitation, and found assembled at 
their house, a very agreeable company, consisting of seven or 
eight families, who were continually exchanging visits one with 
another. The next day, they showed us, not only the city 
itself, but the country in the immediate vicinity, with which 
we were exceedingly pleased. One can live in this place very 
cheaply. Sea-fish, also, are found here remarkably good. It 
was remarked upon as a curious circumstance, that while, before 
the revolution, lobsters or large craw-fish had never been seen 
in this vicinity ; yet no sooner had that struggle commenced, 
than numbers of them left the continent of North America and 
came to New Scotland. This gave rise to a standing joke among 
the people of this place, that the lobsters were good royalists, 
and accordingly wore the English (red) uniform.* During our 
stay in New Scotland, I suffered so terribly with the tooth-ache, 
that I resolved to have the troublesome tooth extracted In order 
however, to spare my husband and children all care and anxiety, 
I got up at five o'clock in the morning, and sent for our chirur- 
geon, who was considered very skillful in drawing teeth. We 
went into a remote room, where he made me sit down on the 
earthen floor, and with a coarse, dirty instrument, gave me such 
a jerk that I certainly thought he had done the business, and 
asked him for my tooth. "Only have patience -a moment 
longer," said he, as he made me again sit down, giving, at the 
same time, another tug at the tooth. Now, thought I, I have 
surely got rid of it ; but by no manner of means, for he had, on 
the contrary, seized hold of, and loosened a healthy tooth, with- 
out, however, pulling it entirely out. I was exceedingly angry 
at this bungling : and, although he oftered to pull this and the 
decayed one, I could not, and would not again trust myself to 
him. I have had good reason to repent this experiment; for 



* This illustration is not a happy one, since they do not wear this uniform until 
they are pretty well cooked. 



OF linS. GENERAL BIEBESEL. 191 

this loosened tooth was so pressed upon one side, that for more 
than two years afterward it prevented me from shutting my 
teeth together J while, in addition, this experience made me 
such a coward, that I have never heeu able to bring myself to 
.submit to a similar operation. 

During the remainder of our voyage, we had a few storms, 
and just as we entered the river St. Lawrence, we met with the 
disagreeable mishap of losing two anchors. We anchored in 
this river every evening on account of the ebbing of the tide. 
Unfortunately an anchor was dropped upon a reef, which on 
account of the continual motion of the ship by the wind, parted 
from the cable. They then threw out a second anchor, which 
met with the same fate. We had now only one small anchor 
left. If we had lost that we should have been at the sport of 
the wiud, and would have had to pass an exceedingly wretched 
night. At the same time, also, our provisions failed us, a boat 
that we had sent ashore having brought back only some fowls 
and eggs. All these contretemps made my husband* resolve 
that we should not remain another night on board the ship. 
Accordingly, when the ship again came to anchor the same eve- 
ning, he ordered the long-boat to be let down, and we, namely, 
my husband and myself, our children, both the aids-de-camp, my 
maid servants and two attendants, seated ourselves in it and were 
carried to the land. We chanced upon a pretty cottage occupied 
by a peasant, where we were received in a very friendly manner. 
The captain of the ship brought us hither, together with our 
pilots. Some of these pilots come on board, immediately upon 
the ships entering any distance within the St. Lawrence. These 
people are well paid, receiving often twenty guineas. As the 
ships are all insured, every sea captaiu is bound at his peril to 
take one. On the contrary, however, every captain is released 
from all responsibility, the moment the pilot is on board, who 
then takes the entire charge, and is answerable with his head 
for any danger. 

My husband, with one of his aids-de-camp, went on, the same 



192 LET TEES AND JOVllNALS 

evening, to Quebec, and I followed him the next day, but did 
not arrive there until three days afterward. The country through 
which I passed, was exceedingly picturesque. Every inhabit- 
ant has a good house, which they take great pains to cleanse 
thoroughly once a year. This causes them to have a very neat 
look, and gives them, also, a glistening appearance in the dis- 
tance.* As their sons, and also their sons-in-law, as soon as mar- 
ried, build close to their parents, very pretty settlements soon 
spring up around them, on which account these people call them- 
selves hahitans (settlers), and not peasants. These dwellings, ' 
every one of which has attached to it a stable, orchard and 
pasturage, lie along the St. Lawrence, and present a splendid 
appearance, especially to those who sail up and down the river. 
To every house, also, an ice cellar is attached, which is made 
with very little trouble. A hole, for instance, is dug in the earth. 
This is then filled, first with ice and then with water, which, 
in congealing, fills up all the interstices, and makes the top as 
smooth as the surface of a mirror. Over this the inhabitants 
lay a very clean board, and place upon it various articles of food, 
which are thus kept with the greatest cleanliness. They take 
special pains to keep out of the ice-house any straw or hay, 
which they say causes the ice to melt more quickly. These ice 
houses are indispensable, pai'ticularly as each one kills his own 
cattle, nor would they be able otherwise to keep the meat fresh in 
summer when the heat is very great. As a general thing, these 
ice cellars are made under their barns. 

These people, also, keep in summer much cattle, which they 
kill at the beginning of winter, and bring into the city for sale. 
Some of the animals that they keep, for their own support — 
such as beeves, sheep and swine — they drive to the forest in 
the morning, and only in the evening give them provender in 



*When Mrs. Riedesel says, "cleanse them every year," she probably meant, 
" whitewash,''^ though she does not use that word. One who has ever passed down 
the St. Lawrence, will recall the shining appearance of the Canadian cottages, the 
effect of the whitewash. ' 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 193 

the stable. They have, also, in this part of the country, a little 
fish called small cod,* which are caught under the ice. For 
tliis purpose large holes are made in the ice at intervals of six 
to eight hundred feet. In these openings they place nets 
which are made fast to great poles by strong cords. In this 
way they catch sometimes five or six sledges full. The fish are 
then thrown into the ice-cellars, where they freeze instantly, and 
they remain in this condition until they are needed. Then 
they are brought forth, thawed out, placed immediately in the 
kettle, and eaten. These fish, especially when fried in butter, 
taste very nicely. 

The dwellings are exceedingly comfortable ; and in them one 
finds remarkably good and clean beds. All the heads of the 
households have curtained beds; and, as the sitting-rooms are 
very large, they have their beds stand in them. They have, 
moreover, great ovens, in which they cook. Their soups are 
very substantial, and consist, for the most part, of bacon, fresh 
meat and vegetables, which are cooked all together in a pot, and 
served out at the same time with the entremets. The Cana- 
dians prepare a kind of sugar from the maple-tree which for this 
reason, is called the sugar-maple. They go in the spring of the 
year into the forest, armed with kettles and pots, in which the 
sap is gathered from incisions made in the trees. It is then 
boiled and that which is uppci-most, and on that account the 
best, they keep especially for their own use. This maple-sugar 
has only one fault, that it is too brown ; otherwise it is right 
good, especially for diseases of the breast. 

, The natives are hospitable and jovial, singing and smoking 
the whole day long. The women frequently have goitres. 
Otherwise, however, the people are healthy and live to be quite 
old. Indeed, it is not unfrequent to meet with very aged 
persons living with their great grandchildren, who take the 
greatest care of them. 



= Prol)al)ly Tom-cod. 



]94 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

We arrived in Quebec the middle of September, 1781, after 
a journey of eight weeks, and were welcomed in a very friendly 
manner. My husband poon gained the aifection of the English 
Lieutenant General Haldimand, (who was the governor of the 
province and the commander-in-chief of the troops in Canada) 
although he had been represented as a man with whom it was 
difficult to get along, as nobody could ever please him. I had 
the satisfaction not only of receiving kindness from him, but of 
winning his friendship, which I also kept as long as he lived.* 
People endeavored to inspire us with distrust of himj but we 
would hear nothing against him. On the contrary, we behaved 
toward him with great open-heartiness — a line of conduct 
which he was not slow to acknowledge with thanks, especially, 
as he was very little accustomed to such treatment in this place. 
Great changes were now made in the governor's house, which 
up to this time had resembled a barrack. He had it now fur- 
nished and arranged after the English fashion ; and, although 
he had only been here five years, yet his gardens were already 
full of choice fruits and foreign plants, which one woul(> 
scarcely have believed could be made to grow in this climate- 
He had, however, taken advantage of an excellent southerii 
exposure. The house was situated on a height, almost on th'> 
very top. We remained four weeks in Quebec, during whici 
time. General Haldimand went with my husband to Sorell, ani 
pointed out to him where he was to be stationed in that place 
While there he said to him, with great friendliness, that he fel- 
badly at our having to reside here in such miserable lodgings 
but as this was a post of considerable importance he knew of n^ 
one so capable of filling it as himself. As he was unable 



*Papet'8 diary, speaking of this general says: "His excellency, Gener,' 
Haldimand, is not a friend of great formalities, but fond of a good dinner, an 
satisfied wlien he can quietly smoke his pipe in his seat before the chimney. 
Another Brunswick officer does more justice to the general, and considers him ori 
of the most deserving oflicers England ever had ; and one, " whom the Brunswicl- 
ers will always remember with the greatest gratitude and esteem." 



OF JIBS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. I95 

have a house built for us immediately, he bought one, the walls 
of which had only just been completed. He, however, gave 
orders that every thing should be in readiness for our reception 
by Christmas-eve, and begged us to give directions for the 
arrangement of our rooms. In the meantime we resided with 
an inhabitant of the place. Our plan was given out ; and to 
our great astonishment we were able to eat our Christmas pie, 
in our new house — with which dish the English always cele- 
brate Christmas day — although the trees for our building had 
not been felled nor the boards sawed until after our arrival. 
Upon the walls pretty paper-hangings were pasted, and we had 
really quite a spruce residence. We had a large dining-room, 
and near by. a pretty room for my husband, close to which was 
our sleeping apartment : then came a cunning little nursery, to 
which was attached a closet fitted up especially for our eldest 
daughter; and last of all, a large and beautiful parlor, which we 
used as a sitting room. The entry resembled more a fine apart- 
ment. Along its sides were benches, and in it stood a great 
stove, from which strong pipes extended to the ceiling and 
heated the whole house. Over head were still four large rooms : 
one for our female servants ; another for our male domestics ; 
and the two others for spare chambers. 

In the spring of 1782, two covered passage-ways were built 
on lO the house, one of which led to the kitchen, and the other to 
our wash house. Over this latter was the guard room. We 
did not live in the village of Sorell itself, but about a quarter 
of a mile distant, and so near the outposts, that, as my husband 
did not wish to be captured, six men slept every night in the entry 
upon the benches. Our immense stove, which stood in this hall, 
gave out such an amount of heat, that the house was kept always 
so warm, that notwithstanding the biting cold which exists in 
Canada, we never felt in the least chilled as long as we remained 
in the house. An unpleasant circumstance, however, happened 
to us, namely : our walls became warped during the winter, 
tearing our pretty paper-hangings, and creating draughts of air. 



19(5 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

In the summer of 1782, my husband made a journey of three 
weeks, during which time I begged the English artisans, who, 
according to the orders of the governor, were all at our disposal, 
to help me set every thing to rights against his return. Cabi- 
net-makers, painters and paper-hangers all set themselves to 
work. The walls were repaired ; doors, windows, chairs, and 
tables painted afresh, and the i-ents in the wall-paper mended 
with new paper which I had brought hither. On his return, my 
husband found to his great amazement every thing arranged in 
perfect order, and, as it were, a new hoase, and all this too had 
been accomplished with very little cost, as we were not allowed to 
give the artisans any thing except their food and drink ; for 
which recompense, however, they worked with a will. Our 
company consisted solely of men. What we missed of society, 
however, was fully made up to us during both the winters, we 
spent in Canada, by the invitations which we received from 
General Haldimand to visit him at Quebec, where we staid six 
weeks at a time, at the house of Dr. Mabine, a staunch friend of 
the general. We dined every day with the general who, at the 
same time, was so kind as even to send for my children. In the 
evening he would come to the house of our host to make a hand 
at cards and take supper. He said that he did this in order 
not to keep me from my children. He often played until mid- 
night, sometimes, indeed, till after one o'clock ; but he was so 
polite as not to force me to remain up against my will, and 
accordingly I could not have retired even had I been so disposed. 
I have hardly ever seen a man who was more amiable and friendly 
to those to whom he had once given his friendship ; and we 
flattered ourselves that we were included among that number. 

In the spring of 1782, he begged us to come to Montreal, 
where he had business, on which occasion he assured us, that 
the time which he then spent with us, was the dearest moment 
of his life. I rode to Montreal in a sledge, upon the river St. 
Lawrence which was frozen solid. We remained there about a 
week, and returned home in the same manner. This proceeding, 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. I97 

however, was not only very imprudent, but in the highest degree 
hazardous ; for by this time it had begun to thaw, and along the 
whole of our track, which was marked by branches of trees stuck 
up at intervals, the ice was already covered with water. (I 
may here remark, that this practice of marking out a particular 
path on the ice by these trees, soon makes a well beaten road, 
as every sled goes in the same track). Our Canadian drivers 
seemed to be quite timid, but they would not go out of the regu- 
lar beaten track, as they said there was less danger in following 
that, than in making a new one. At last about five o'clock in 
the afternoon, we arrived at Sorell in safety, though we had 
traveled most of the way in water which, at times, came into 
our sledges. The next morning when I got up, I saw, to my 
horror, a ship under full canvas, sailing up the river in the very 
track that we had come over with so much risk the night pre- 
vious.* 

Y The Canadian winter is very healthy, although severe ; for as 
the weather is steady, one can take proper precautions against the 
cold. Thus is it, that the people here do not sufier from cold 
near as much as with us. In the beginning of November, each 
household lays in all their stores for the winter. I was very 
much astonished when they asked me how many fowls, and par- 
ticularly how many fish I wished to have for the winter ; I asked 
where I should keep the latter as I had no fish-pond? " In the 
loft," they replied, " where they will keep better than in the 
cellar." I accordingly laid away, between three and four hun- 
dred, which kept fresh and sweet the entire winter. All that 
was necessary to do, when we wanted something for our table, 
such as meat, fish, eggs, apples amd lemons, was to put them 
in cold water the day previous. By this means, all the frost 
was taken out, and the meat and fish became as juicy and ten- 
der as they are with us. The fowls, moreover, are packed in 



* There is nothing improbable in this statement. Frequently towards spring, the 
whole surface of Lake Champlain, for instance, will be covered apparently with 
solid ice one day, while on the next, not the least particle of it can be seen. 



198 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

the suow, wliicli forms around them such a crust of ice, that 
they have to be chopped out with a hatchet. They have a fruit 
in Canada, which is called ottocas.* It grows in the water, is 
red, and as large as a small cherry, but without a stone. It is 
carefully gathered, particularly by the Indians, and sold without 
the stalk. It makes a very good preserve, especially if picked 
after a hard frost. All other fruit is very scarce; and only in 
Montreal, can one find good, yes, excellent apples, viz : " rei- 
nettes," and a kind of large red apple, of a very excellent flavor, 
which is called " bowrrassas." The Canadians pack them in 
barrels which must be headed up, and pasted over with paper, 
where they keep good until the very last. But small barrels 
are used for this purpose, for if they are once broken open the 
apples can no longer be preserved. Fruit, however, is very dear, 
especially pears, which are less seldom met with than apples, 
and are not so easily kept. I ordered six barrels of apples, 
and half a barrel of pears. One can imagine my surprise at 
being compelled to pay for them, twenty-one guineas. I had, 
it is true, asked the price beforehand, but they had not been 
able, at that time, to name a definite sum. My husband had a 
large patch of ground behind our house, converted into a pro- 
ductive garden, in which he planted twelve hundred fruit trees. 
This made the garden not only ornamental, but useful, espe- 
cially as we raised in it a few vegetables. Every thing grew 
splendidly ; and each evening, we went into the garden and 
picked between one hundred and fifty and two hundred cucum- 
bers, which I made into pickles. This manner of preparing 
these vegetables, was not known to the Canadians ; and I accord- 
ingly made them all presents of pickles, particularly our good 
General Haldimand, who declared them to be excellent. 

It was, in fact, as if I lived upon a magnificent farm. I had 
my cows, a large number of fowls, and Virginia hogs, which are 



* The cranberry. The Canadian peasants still sell them in the markets at 
Montreal, under this name. «. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. ^99 

black, smaller than ours, and very sliort-legged. I also made 
my own butter. This was truly the promised land to the 
soldiers, for their barracks were prettily fitted up, and attached 
to each one was a garden. My husband gave them seeds; and 
it afibrded us great satisfaction to see their house-keeping, espe- 
cially their kitchen arrangements; a pleasure we often indulged 
in when we were out walking. They exchanged half of the 
salt meat they received for fresh ; after which they would boil 
both kinds together in a large kettle with all sorts of vegetables 
and dumplings. > There was also considerable rivalry among 
the soldiers as to which of them could prepare the best meal. 
They divided regularly among each other all their work. Some 
worked in the garden ; others attended to the cooking; some 
kept the barracks clean ; and others again went out into the 
forest and cut wood, which they brought in on little carts made 
especially for that purpose. My husband, also, had fishing nets 
made and each company went fishing in turn. Every time they 
went, they were so considerate as to send us some of the fish which 
they had caught. In this way they had fish two or three times 
a week ; besides which they received every six days a bottle of 

/rum, rice, butter, twelve pounds of Indian-meal for bread, and 
every day either a pound of salt pork or half a pound of beef. 
Yet, notwithstanding all this, the greater portion of them looked 
wistfully tov.-ard their native land. My husband had also 

(^Indians under his command who loved him very much. His 
frank disposition had completely won their hearts. Before my 
first arrival in Canada, one of his Indians, named Hansel, 
heard that he was sick, was married, and felt very uneasy 
at my not having arrived. He, therefore, came with his wife, 
to my husband, and said to him, "See here now! I love my 
wife, but I also love thee , and as a proof of my sincerity I 
give her to thee!" My husband replied, "I thank thee and 
recognize thy attachment, but I already have a wife, whom I 
love, and I, therefore, beg thee to keep thine own." Upon this 
refusal he seemed sad and very much cast down ; and it was 



200 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

only after considerable persuasion that he could be induced to 
take back his wife, whom I afterwards saw very frequently. 
She was quite handsome. This Hansel was not, it is true, a 
real Indian, but a German, who in a battle with the savages, 
had been taken prisoner with several others, when only fifteen 
years old. All the rest of his party who were not captured, 
were killed. All of his companions were killed, but his figure, 
and his courageous defense had so pleased the Indians that they 
gave him his life on the consideration that he would marry 
among them and assume their manners and dress, which he 
accordingly did. \The life of a savage must be very attractive, 
for a nephew of General Carleton lived a long time among them ; 
married an Indian ; and became so accustomed to this restless, 
but free and pleasant life, that it was not until many years after- 
wards, and only after repeated entreaties, that he returned to 
his uncle. He then married the general's sister-in-law, a pretty 
and amiable person, but, they told me, he continually longed 
after his former mode of life, and his Indian wife, the marriage 
with whom was afterwards annulled. He served in the army, I 
believe, as a major, and was an exceedingly agreeable man. 

It was at this time that I saw the renowned chief of the 
Indians, Captain Brant, whose likeness has been engraved. As 
he showed considerable intellect and talent when very young. 
General Carleton sent him to England to visit the king, upon 
whom he made so good an impression that he had him educated, 
and promised to care for him in the future. He profited by the 
tuition which he received, but when he was between twenty and 
twenty-four years old, he begged very hard^ to be sent back to 
his family.* At the time we were in Canada, he was the leader 
of the Indians. He conversed well, possessed polished man- 
ners, and was highly esteemed by General Haldimand. I have 
dined with him at the general's. He was dressed partly as a 
military man, and partly as an Indian. He had a manly and 



* Mrs. Ricclesel was misinformed in regard to the early life of Braut. His first 
visit to England was in ITTS, at the age of thirty-three. Vide Stone's Life of Brant. 



OF MRS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 201 

intelligent cast of countenance. His cliaracter was very gentle. 
My liusband was once invited to a gathering of Indians, where 
they first made him a speech, and then begged him to take a 
seat among them. They then ofi"ered him a pipe of tobacco, 
which with them is the highest compliment they can pay, and 
is an evidence of their esteem and friendship. They also gave 
him a name which in their language signifies the sun. He, in 
turn, invited them to visit him. They came, and he entertained 
them, after the fashion of their race, with tobacco and rum. 

One of these Indians especially, was decorated with medals 
which are marks of personal prowess. We invited him to dinner 
and forced him to drink. He drank, however, very little, and 
said to us in broken French, " Bon enfant le sauvage, lorsque 
sobre, mais trop bu, animal feroce ! " My daughter, Frederica, 
won his friendship. He begged her for a new ribbon, upon 
which to hang his medals, assuring her that then he should 
prize them still more highly. Altogether, he was a very kind 
man, full of gentle courtesy. The Indians lay great stress upon 
dreams. A certain Johnson, before our arrival, became a rich 
man through this belief. It happened in this way: the Indians 
were in the habit of often coming to him and saying to him, 
" Brother Johnson, we have just dreamed that we came to you, 
and you gave us a great quantity of rum and tobacco." " In that 
case," he would reply, "I must make your dream come true," 
giving them of the same as much as they wished. This delighted 
them; and they came more frequently to repeat to him their 
several dreams. But one day he went to them and said, " My 
brothers, I also have just dreamed that I came to you, and that 
you were so well satisfied with the friendship and hospitality 
which I have shown you, as to make me a present of a very 
large piece of land;" at the same time mentioning the particu- 
lar tract. "Indeed!" they exclaimed, terribly frightened, 
" Have you dreamt that?" They immediately went out and 
held a consultation, the result of which was, that on their return, 
2G 



202 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

they said, " Brother Johnson, we give you this piece of land, 
but do not dream again.'^ 

The Indians generally treat their bodies with harshness, 
making incisions and marks in their faces, which they paint 
with different colors in order to give them a more martial 
appearance. 

One day a youth was chosen chief of a tribe. This caused a mur- 
muring among the other tribes, and at a general council so many 
offensive epithets were applied to him by one of the other chiefs, 
that after much altercation, his temper kindled; and, springing 
up, he split open the head of his antagonist with his tomahawk. 
When, however, he afterwards reflected upon the consequences 
of his rash step, which, among savages, occasions for all time 
feuds and bloodshed between the tribe of the murdered and 
that of the murderer, he went to the house of the English 
commandant in the place, called for a black ribbon, punched 
holes in both his arms (through which he drew the ribbon, and 
with which he had his arras tied securely behind his back), and 
in this condition delivered himself up to the tribe of the Indian 
he had slain, at the same time acknowledging that he had killed 
one of their number in a fit of passion. He further said that 
in order to prevent the shedding of blood between the tribes, 
which otherwise must immediately follow, he had rendered him- 
self defenseless, and now delivered himself up to them in this 
condition. Upon this noble behavior and his evident courage 
and penitence, the Indians of the injured tribe were so touched 
and pleased that they not only forgave but adopted him into 
their tribe in the place of the murdered man ; and subsequently 
even chose him for their chief. 

The Indians behave bravely in battle as long as victory is 
upon their side. But on retreats, as, for example, previous to our 



* A capital story, hut utterly without foundation in truth. Mrs. Ricdesel, how- 
ever, undoubtedly tells it as it was related to her, as the story was current at the 
time. Vide Stone's Life of Sir Wni. Johnson, vol. I, page 325, where the facts in 
relation to the origin of the royal grant, are given in full. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. gQS 

being taken prisoners at Saratoga, I saw them first run and then 
hide themselves. But it is very likely that this may have been 
caused by their fear of being captured and then killed. 
^•, During the summer of 1782, we passed several weeks very 
pleasantly at Quebec. General Haldimaud had built himself a 
house upon a hill, which he called Montmorency, after the great 
and famous waterfall of that name. He took us over to his 
house. It was his pet, and certainly nothing could equal its 
situation. This celebrated cataract of the Montmorency plunges 
down from a height of one hundred and sixty-three feet, with a 
frightful din, through a cleft between two mountains. While 
the general was pointing out to us this magnificent spectacle I 
accideutly let fell the remark, that it must be splendid to have 
a httle house directly over the cataract. Three weeks after- 
wards he again guided us to the fall. We made our way up the 
steep path, and over pieces of rock that were united by little 
bridges after the manner of Chinese gardens. When we at last 
reached the top, he gave me his hand to assist me into a little 
building which hung directly over the fall itself He was 
amazed at my courage, when, without a moment's hesitation, I 
immediately entered it. But I assured him that I was not in the 
least afraid, when accompanied by such a careful man as him- 
self He showed us how the house was fastened in such a situa- 
tion. The manner of it was this. He had caused eight strong 
rafters to be extended from the bank, some distance over the 
chasm, through which the cataract plunged down. There beams 
rested for a third of their length upon the rocks, and upon them 
the house stood. It was a frightful but majestic sight. Nor 
could one remain in the house long, for the din was horrible. 
Above this fall they catch very fine trout, which, however, once 
cost an English officer his life. He was springing from one 
rock to another, in order to catch them, when his foot slipped 
from under him, and he was carried away by the strength of 
the current. Nothing was ever found of him afterwardlj, but 
a few mano-led limbs. 



204 LETTERS AND JO VRNAL8 

We were also at this fall once in the winter, on which occa- 
sion the various and strange figures made by the ice, afforded a 
magnificent spectacle ; but we missed the roaring of the waters. 
The cold was at that time so intense that even the general's 
Madeira wine froze in the bottles. Instead of being spoiled, 
however, it was found to be especially fine when thawed out. 
He gave us one day some of that which had not been frozen, 
and we found it most excellent. 

In the autumn of 1782, when I was far advanced in preg- 
nancy, my husband received orders to go to the Isle aux Noix, 
and lay out a fort which should protect the place in case of 
attack. During his absence I felt perfectly forlorn ; and my 
only consolation was that he came to see me every three or four 
weeks. On his part, also, the time was passed at that place very 
unpleasantly. He made from there a short journey to a place 
called Point de Per, which lies at the confluence of the river 
Sorell with Lake Champlain, to visit the outposts. While there 
he came very near being burnt in the barracks. In the middle 
of the night he heard a great commotion ; and, as this was an 
advanced post, he thought, for the moment, that the Americans 
had learned of his whereabouts, and were intending to capture 
him. While thus thinking an English officer came in and 
asked where the general was. Upon the latter answering 
" Here," he called out, " For God's sake. General, run, or we 
are both lost for the barracks are in flames." The subaltern did 
not allow my husband any time to gather together any of his 
things, so that he was obliged to run out naked and barefoot, 
through the flames upon the ice. The danger was indeed great, 
on account of the barrels of gunpowder stored in the barracks, 
which might easily have gone off had the flames reached them. 
However, as soon as my husband observed that the soldiers 
remained, and were busily engaged in extinguishing the fire, he 
returned and dressed himself by one of the watch fires. 

In the meantime I was taken sick. During the absence of 
my husband I had been in the habit, by way of dissipating my 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 205 

loneliness, of driving out in my carriage. On one of these occa- 
sions, my pains, of which I already had premonitory symptoms, 
became so great as to compel me to return. They endeavored 
to persuade me to sit down at table, as I alone felt that I had 
a severe trial before me. I had hoped that my confinement 
would be delayed until my husband's arrival on the 5th, but I 
was disappointed in my expectations, and I was happily delivered 
of a beautiful little daughter. I was so well that I was able to 
write to my husband myself, announcing the new arrival. But 
as he wished very much for a little son, he thought I was only 
joking ; and when at table the health of his newly born daughter 
was proposed, he again read my letter attentively to see if it was 
not really a little son. Finally, however, he was obliged to give 
in ; but on his arrival home, on the 5th, he found the little 
maiden so handsome, that he was consoled for his disappoint- 
ment, and the little one contributed much to the joy of us both. 
But, alas ! this joy was of short duration, for she was spared to 
us only five months. I nursed her myself, but in doing so, suf- 
fered so much with my breasts, that I was obliged to have an 
operation performed on them. I was strongly advised not to 
nurse her longer, and I at last yielded, although with the great- 
est reluctance, as T had almost a foreboding of what would be 
the sad result. The very first night after I had weaned the 
little one, my imagination became so very much excited, that I 
actually thought I heard a voice calling out to me, " You have 
done very wrong to wean her; she will die !" Half asleep and 
terribly frightened, I sprang out of bed, tore away the things 
which had been put on my breast to dry up the milk, and was 
about to give my dear little Canada (for so we had named her) 
the breast again. But my nurse would not allow it, giving as 
a reason, that it would only injure the child, as she was now 
weaned. Three days afterward, she was attacked by a diar- 
rhea, and on the 5th was very bad. They would not allow me 
to nurse her, as I was also very sick with the milk-fever. But 
I can never forgive myself for allowing them to prevent me from 



206 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

doing as my judgmeat dictated ; for I afterwards Iieard tliat 
tliey gave her very little nourishment. It is true that at length 
upon my repeated urging, our cook, who was a wet nurse, gave 
her the breast anew, which she took eagerly, but it was probably 
already too late. We had a distinguished English physician, 
named Kennedy, come from Three Rivers, who, as soon as he 
saw the child, said it was dying from debility. He had an old 
hen killed, and took out the entrails, which he had cooked with- 
out being cleaned. Of this, he gave her every half hour injec- 
tions, which at first seemed to infuse into her new life ; but she 
was too far gone to rally permanently, and we had the unhappi- 
ness to lose her. My oldest daughter, Augusta, who had loved 
her little sister very much, became sick from sorrow; and my 
youngest daughter, America, also, almost died from the same 
cause, before her sister even was buried. But the physician 
who was still with us, made such good use of his remedies that 
she was spared to us. 

My husband was so beside himself in consequence of all 
these calamities, that he could not be persuaded to come into the 
house, until the doctor assured him that his patients were all 
well. 

We buried our beloved dead little one in Sorell ; and the 
officer promised me that they would have a tombstone, with an 
inscription, put over her grave, which would prevent the inha- 
bitants, who were blind and zealous Catholics, from taking up 
the heretic child out of the consecrated earth. 

In order to dissipate my sorrow. General Haldimand, in the 
summer of 1783, begged us to visit him in Quebec. We had, 
however, when the invitation came, just heard of the death of 
my father-in-law, and my husband, very naturally, therefore, 
longed more than ever to return to Europe . His health, also, was 
very uncertain ; and, although the climate of Canada suited him 
better than that of New York, yet he was never free from 
unpleasant buzzings in his ears and violent headaches. So far as 
regarded myself, also, I wished very much to sec my mother, 



OF MBS. GENEBAL BIEDESEL. 



207 



brothers and sisters, once more. Indeed, had it not been for 
this homesickness, I should have been perfectly contented in 
Canada; for the climate agreed well with my children, and we 
were beloved by, and on a very pleasant footing with the people. 
News had been received that as the preliminaries of peace had 
already been signed, our troops would, perhaps, be sent back to 
Europe that same year. General Haldimand, also, very much 
wished to return to England, and had even gone so far as to 
solicit his recall. We often formed plans with each other to make 
the return voyage together on the same ship. One day, when 
we were at his house and were walking together in his garden, 
we saw a number of vessels arrive in the harbor, and among 
others, a very beautiful ship anchor at the foot of the mountain. 
The general said, " Those are certainly the vessels that are to 
carry your troops back to Europe. Perhaps we shall make the 
journey together." Thereupon my little daughter, Frederica, 
who stood at my side, said to him, " Well then, if we go, you 
must give us that ship, it is so beautiful ! " " My child," he 
replied, " I will do it right willingly, if it is a transport, but what 
would the king of England say if I should hire one especially 
for you, for the cost would be considerable?" "Oh!" she 
rejoined, " the king loves his wife and children, and it would 
certainly give him much pleasure if papa brought back his 
family safely ; and you. would you not be delighted if your little 
wife was also taken back without any mishap?" (The good 
general always called my eldest daughter, Augusta, his little 
wife). He laughed heartily at this rally, and said, "Well, we 
will see about it." 

Two days afterward, he called upon me in the morning, and 
with tears in his eyes told me, that we must sepai'ate. "You 
are to go, but I must remain. I shall miss you very much. I 
have found in your husband a man whom I can depend upon, 
and in your entire family friends — such as are seldom met with. 
I had hoped that we should have returned together, but the 
king has ordered it otherwise, and I must obey him. Mean- 



208 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

while, I have thought over what your daughter said to me, and 
as it is my most earnest wish to have you make the voyage to 
Europe safely, I have myself examined the ship that has been 
chosen for you to see if it was suitable, but I find it unsafe. 
On the contrary, however, the one that your daughter was so 
pleased with, I find to be as good as I could wish for you, and 
therefore, although it is not of the number of those that were 
selected for the transportation of the troops, I have, neverthe- 
less, assumed the responsibility of hiring it and having it put 
in proper order for the occupation of yourself and family. Now 
go and look at it, and order it fitted up for your comfort exactly 
as you wish. I have already given orders that every thing shall 
be as you desire. Your husband is about to go to Sorell, and it 
would be well if you should also accompany him thither to make 
all necessary arrangements for your voyage. But you must 
return soon and give me your company for the little time that 
will remain to you before your departure." He then left me 
deeply moved. How could one not give such a man his whole 
friendship ? 

An hour afterwards Major Twiss came to take me on board 
the ship. It was a large West-India three-decker, and in good 
condition. The captain, also, was highly praised as an excellent 
seaman, and a courteous and upright man. They showed me 
every part of the ship, and requested me to select those apart- 
ments I desired, as I would certainly need a dining and a sitting 
room. I laughed and said, " How can you manage to give me 
such accommodations." " Let me alone for that," replied the 
major. He immediately ordered the cannons, which were on 
the gun deck, to be taken away, a large window to be cut 
through above it, and on each side closets,* for the gentlemen, 
in which their beds, chairs and tables were securely fastened. 
We retained for ourselves the great cabin, in which my husband 
and myself had a closet with two beds, and close by one for our 



State-rooms in modern parlance. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEBE8EL. 209 

children. In short, every thing was comfortable as could be 
expected in such a floating prison. 

The day after I went to Sorell, in order to travel faster I 
was advised to make the journey in a boat. I followed the sug- 
gestion; but we soon found the water too shallow, and they told 
us we must again take to land. - But how shall we reach it " 
said I, " for here there is nothing but swamps and stones ? " It 
was then proposed to carry us, which, indeed, was a frightful 
undertaking, for our bearers slipped every instant. When we 
at last reached the land, a new difiiculty awaited us; for we were 
obliged to climb up a high and very stony mountain. I pro- 
tested that I never should be able to ascend it; but the Cana- 
dians who are inured to this kind of work, and can cbmb like 
chamois, assured me that this was a mere trifle to them, and 
besides, that there was nothing else left for us but to ascend 
the mountain. Accordingly they carried up my children, at 
the same time that two of the men dragged me up the ascent 
under their arms. The mountain was so steep, that those who 
went ahead of me, seemed as if they would fall on to me; besides 
all of which, the heat was unbearable. Finally, after much 
toil and trouble, we arrived at the top; and it was high time 
for I was so completely tired out, that I was obliged to sit 
down, while my veins, also, were so swollen, from my havin- ' 
overheated myself, that my poor children felt exceedin-vly 
anxious about me. We were compelled to pass a night on tlie 
way. I found, however, a good bed and some refreshment, both 
of which I needed to restore my strength ; and the next morn- 
ing we again set out on our journey. 

■. On our arrival at Sorell, I found my husband already very 
busy, and I, on my part, set myself to work to such good pur- 
pose, that in about a week I was able to return to Quebec 
whither my husband very soon followed me. Before leaviu-' 
however, I took pains to speak to the parish priest, who was^a 
very good man, about my little daughter's grave in that place 
and to express to him my fears, that some of the very bi-oted 
27 



210 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

people living there, out of blind zeal, would violate tlae resting 
place of one who was no Catholic child. But he assured me 
that the child had only been christened, not yet confirmed • 
and that it was therefore regarded as an angel, whose ashes 
would not be disturbed. He, also, gave me his word that he 
wou.ld personally watch over them. 

On our return to Quebec, I heard that the new alterations of 
our ship had already advanced so far that every thing in it had 
assumed an entirely different appearance, and that General 
Haldimand himself had been there several times to oversee 
matters, besides having sent on board a cow and her calf, that 
we might be supplied constantly with fresh milk. He had also 
caused a place upon the upper-deck to be covered with earth, 
and salad-plants set out, which was not only very agreeable but 
exceedingly healthy on a sea-voyage. We bought also many 
fowls, sheep and house vegetables, so careful was I (as there 
were many of us), that our table — at which twenty-two people 
sat down daily — should be well supplied. 

Our physician. Doctor Kennedy, on our passage through 
Three Rivers, pressed us to arrange it in such a manner that his 
family, namely, his wife and three daughters, two maid-servants 
and an attendant, could go with us to Europe. We promised 
him, accordingly, to speak with the general, for he was very 
skillful, and we thought it would be a capital idea to have such 
a man with us. The general replied to me, when I asked him, 
" The ship is yours, arrange matters as you please; but you do 
not know the pretentions of these people, who will make you a 
good deal of trouble." I learned afterward, by dear experience, 
that he knew his man well. 

Another cabin was, accordingly, fixed up close to ours for 
Madame Kennedy and two of her daughters and a maid-servant; 
my children taking her third daughter, who was ten years old, 
in their own state-room. The doctor, himself, occupied one of the 
cabins in the great space adjoining the saloon. 

On our departure, my husband sent to the good general his 



OF MRS. GENERAL EIEDESEL. 211 

favorite mare, with lier beautiful foal; and in return lie sent 
me a magnificent muflf and tippet of sable, to remind us of tlie 
land where we had so long resided. This, too, was the more 
appropriate, as furs of many kinds are the principal products of 
Canada. English merchants become rich by sending over com- 
mon articles of merchandise, which they exchange for furs, 
that are afterward dressed in England. 

The general also, presented my daughter, Augusta, with a 
beautiful hound; and indeed he neglected no opportunity of 
showing his great friendship for us ; and on our departure he 
was so much moved, that we also, were deeply affected. Two 
days before our departure, the English ofiicers paid us the atten- 
tion — in a comedy which they gave twice a week, and the 
receipts of which, after deducting the expenses of lighting up, 
went to the poor — of giving, at the end of the performance, a 
truly touching song, expressive of their regret at the departure 
of our troops ; closing with thanking my husband for his kind 
treatment of each one of them, and with wishing us a prosperous 
journey. 

After my husband had seen to the embarkation of the troops, 
we took dinner and tea with the general; after which, he car- 
ried us himself, to the ship, where we took a right hearty and 
sad farewell of him, and several others, who had showed us 
friendship. 



MES. RIEDESEL'S ACCOUNT OF HER RETURN 
JOURNEY TO EUROPE. 



It was about tlie middle of tlie raoatli of August, wheu we 
set out on our return journey to Europe. My husband, myself 
and our tteee children went, as I have already said, in the 
same ship. The morning after we had embarked, the signal 
of our departure was given. Every one laid in as great a 
supply of fresh meat as he could; and an hour after, our 
whole fleet was under sail. We sailed as far as the Isle de Bee, 
at the mouth of the river St. Lawrence, where we were obliged 
to lie two whole weeks waiting for favorable winds. This made 
it the more unfortunate for all hands, as we were consequently 
forced to use up our supplies of fresh meat and vegetables, for 
the surrounding country had those articles neither as good, nor 
as abundant as was necessary to meet the wants of the whole 
fleet. We also learned that we would not be able to reach 
Europe before the equinoctial, and would run great danger 
of meeting with the storms so prevalent at that time ofi" the 
English coast. 

While we were in this frame of mind, our chaplain, Mylius, 
of my husband's regiment, held one Sunday his accustomed 
service; and just as he was praying most fervently that Grod 
would soon grant us a favorable wind and a happy arrival in our 
father-land, the ship, which had hitherto lain motionless in the 
calm, suddenly began to move; and as the chaplain said, "Amen," 
the cry went round that the English commodore, who com- 
manded the fleet, had just given the signal for our departure. 



LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 213 

Half an liour after, lie passed us with his ship, and the whole 
fleet followed him under full sail. 

As the passage with the fleet, which was often delayed, was 
exceedingly tedious, my husband wished very much to leave it 
and go on ahead in order to deliver, as quickly as possible, the 
dispatches which General Haldimand had sent to the king 
through him. It was also the wish of our ship's captain to find 
an opportunity of separating from the fleet and sailing faster, 
but he dared not do it without permission from the commodore 
who commanded the convoy. Two days afterward, one of the 
ships made a sign that it had something to say to the commo- 
dore, on which all the ships came to a stop. But the commodore 
was so courteous as to call out to my husband through a speak- 
ing trumpet, "General, go on!" Our captain profited by this 
order ; for, taking it as his general warrant not to wait for the 
other ships, he spread all sail, and in a short time we saw our 
fleet no more. At first we were very much delighted, but after- 
ward, this very isolation made me fearful of the result in case 
of our meeting with any accident. 

Just as we separated from the fleet, a singular circumstance 
happened, which deserves mention in this connection, only 
because it was regarded by our captain as a sure and auspicious 
omen of a happy termination of our voyage. It was this : two 
pigeons, belougiug to the ship of the commodore, flew from that 
vessel to ours and could not be driven away. As I have just 
said, this incident, our captain regarded as an important and 
auspicious omen, but the crew of the commodore's ship, on the 
contrary, reasoning on the same principle, considered it as very 
unlucky for them ; which foreboding, indeed, was afterwards 
accidentally confirmed, for. the poor commodore during this very 
voyage, had the misfortune to become insane. Before this I 
had no idea of the many superstitions that prevail among sailors. 
These people notice every little trifling incident, and draw from 
them conclusions and omens. 

Soon after our departure we noticed that a large number of 



214 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

black-birds, and an amazing quantity of dolphins, gatliered around 
our ship, and tlie horizon became a yellowish fawn color. Our 
captain prophesied from this a heavy storm, which set in, sure 
enough, the same evening, and, with the exception of a calm of a 
single day, when we were on the banks of Newfoundland, con- 
tinued with unabated fury, day and night, for three weeks. As 
we were fortunately, however, sailing before the wind, we made, 
by this very means, the passage from the Isle de Bee, to the 
bay of St. Helen, in eighteen days, an instance of unheard-of 
speed, as the only example in the least similar, was that of a 
French frigate, which went the same distance in eighteen days, 
one day longer than our passage. 

One evening, one of our sails was torn away, and as it was 
very dark, this made bad work, for our ship was dreadfully 
tossed, and lay entirely upon one of her sides. However, before 
the next night the injury was repaired. 

Some days after, we perceived a burning smell, and were the 
more anxious to discover whence it came, because under our 
cabin was the powder room. After searching in vain for a long 
time, I at last found that in the state-room of Madame Kennedy, 
a string which held a lantern, had caught fire, and had already 
burned up close to a rafter, which, as is customary upon ships, 
was smeared with tar and on that account would the more easily 
have burned. I hastened to point it out, and the captain was 
very much delighted at the discovery of the source of the fire. 
He represented to Mrs. Kennedy the danger in which she had 
placed us all, and begged her to be more careful in future. 
But she, instead of acknowledging it with thanks, as she had 
also escaped the danger, considered herself a very much injured 
woman, was sulky toward me for more than a week, and did 
nothing less than to place upon the floor of her cabin a night 
lamp, which, as it slid hither and thither by the motion of the 
ship, gave us much anxiety. My husband and I could scarcely 
sleep on account of the violence of the storm, and the former 
passed the greater part of the night on deck. On one occa- 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 215 

sion, I said to the captain that what I most feared was the so- 
called dead-lights. These are wooden windows which in case of 
a violent storm are placed in the windows of the ship to keep the 
water from coming in. The captain, a very kind and amiable 
man, endeavored to reassure me by saying that our ship was so 
very high out of the water, that a storm must be extraordinarily 
heavy to render these windows necessary ; and further, that in 
summer there never had been an instance known of a storm so 
violent as to render such a proceeding needful. 

It was eight o'clock in the evening when he said this to me, 
and at ten o'clock the storm was so violent that no one went to 
bed. Toward midnight some one knocked at our door ; I inquired 
who was there, and received to my great horror the reply that 
the captain had sent dovm the dreaded dead-lights for our win- 
dows. " It is impossible," cried I, "beg the captain to come to 
me." He came at once and told us that the storm was so violent 
that he must resort to these means to keep the waves from dashing 
in at the windows. He, however, assured me, that otherwise 
there was no actual danger, as the ship was amply strong enough 
to ride out the storm. The storm continued the whole night 
with unabated fury, and just at sunrise it carried away one of 
our masts. Madame Kennedy was in tears the whole of the 
night, and larnented especially that her sons had by this time 
arrived safely in England, and would in all probability survive 
her. 

Early in the morning at five o'clock I went into the room 
where my children were asleep. I hesitated whether to wake 
them, or allow them to sleep on in peaceful ignorance of our 
dangerous situation. I could not, however, in the sorrowful 
presentment that we were all about to perish, restrain myself 
from embracing them all in turn. When I came to my eldest 
daughter, Augusta, I found her awake ; but she had abstained 
from uttering the least cry, in order not to disturb me still more. 
"Alas ! what a storm," said I, " are you not terribly frightened ? " 
" Oh yes," she replied, " but my consolation is, that at any rate 



2X(3 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

-we sliall not survive you." These few words, which showed 
their tender love, as well as resignation, touched my innermost 
heart. 

At one time during the gale the ship was so dreadfully shaken 
and thrown so violently upon one side, that I said to myself, 
one more such a shaking and it will be all over with us. At 
last, however, day-break put an end to my suiFerings; for although 
the wind was still strong enough in all conscience, yet the storm 
had considerably abated. The wind, nevertheless, was always 
favorable for us, and drove us along with such force, that we 
made fourteen knots every hour, a circumstance which greatly 
assisted our progress. 

One day the captain said to us, " Should the wind continue 
as favorable as hitherto, we shall be in England within three 
days." This caused us the most lively joy ; for although we had 
a sufficiency of almost every thing, fresh bread and other provi- 
sions, milk (which is very seldom to be obtained on board a 
ship) and even music, as the hautboys of my husband's regi- 
ment were with us, yet we were all worse oflF than as if we had 
been in the most miserable hut Indeed, my husband, who 
shared all my troubles, remarked to me one night, that even a 
pig-sty would, be better. He could not lie still in bed with 
comfort to himself, and I believe that during the whole of our 
voyage he did not sleep in bed more than five or six nights. 

During one of the violent tossings of the ship, one of our cows 
was thrown out of a hammock in which she was hanging, and 
so much injured that we were obliged to have her killed. We 
then made her meat a present to the crew. 

Towards the end of our voyage, a constant and strong mist 
prevented the captain from taking accurate observations, and 
his reckoning did not agree with that of my husband, who was 
positive that we had already passed the Scilly Isles (of whose 
rocks the captain was exceedingly apprehensive), and were 
accordingly very near the English coast. In this uncertainty, 
the captain determined, on the evening of the eighteenth day of 



OF MBS. OENEBAL EIEDESEL. 217 

our passage, to lie to. By this means the ship would remain sta- 
tionary, and be in no danger of running on the rocks at night. 

In this unpleasant state of expectancy (for while a ship is 
lying to, the wind gives it a very disagreeahle motion) we were 
one day sitting in our cabin. The gentlemen, although they 
had finished their dinner, were still seated at table, sad and 
thoughtful, and the captain had already got up, and gone on 
deck to give in person the preliminary orders for lying to, 
when suddenly my husband heard from above the cry of land ! 
land ! and soon after, he was called on deck by the captain, 
who pointed out to him, a small white speck glistening through 
the mist. At first he would not believe that it was land, but 
the captain assured him that having made the passage so often, 
he indeed recognized it as chalk, and that it, therefore, could be 
nothing else than the shining coast of England.* 

Soon after, a gust of wind dissipated the mist, drawing it aside, 
as it were, like a great curtain, and to our indescribable joy, dis- 
closed the Isle of Wight, and the whole English coast, lying in 
the clear atmosphere, directly in front of us. " Now," exclaimed 
the captain, " I must put on all sail, for we must, this very eve- 
ning get round the Isle of Wight : otherwise, I will not be able 
to find a place to anchor, and may be driven, by storms, through 
the channel, into the North sea." This was no small undertak- 
ing. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon, and the Isle 
of Wight is thirty leagues long. It cost the captain a great 
amount of trouble to stretch out the sails ; and as it was, he had 
more than twenty sail-yards — which cracked like glass — shi- 
vered to pieces in the operation. But at last we got things fixed ; 
and then the ship shot away with such amazing velocity, that 



* If report speaks correctly, Baron Riedesel was a better general tban navigator. 
There is yet a tradition current in Brunswick (where he resided for so long a time) 
that on his voyage to America — which, it will be recollected, was very long a,nd. 
tedious — he, one morning, gravely inquired of the captain, "whether it were pos- 
sible that the ship could have sailed past Canada in the night ! " 



218 LETTERS AND J0VBNAL8 

at eight o'clock the same evening, we arrived safely in St. 
Helen's bay. 

The same day, I came very near having my foot crushed. I 
had gone upon deck with the others, to feast my eyes for a 
moment upon the land so close at hand. Captain O'Connell, 
one of the English ofl&cers that were of our party, jumped up for 
joy, slipped, and knocked down in falling, a block pulley, which 
rolled upon my foot, and crushed it against the side of the ship. 
The pain made me shriek out, and I was not able to stand up. 
They carried me into my cabin, and washed and dressed my foot. 
On each side of the cabin, there was a sofa securely fastened. 
I sat down upon one of these, and my little seven year old daugh- 
ter, upon the other. Suddenly the ship gave such a violent 
lurch, that the child was thrown from the opposite sofa, on to 
mine. It was fortunate that she did not break her arm, or a 
bone. Although my bruise was extremely painful, it was luckily 
followed by no further serious consequences. 

During the night we remained at anchor in the bay of St. 
Helen, and expected to be at Portsmouth on the following day. 
But our ship in entering the harbor, settled upon the* sunken 
man-of-war, the Royal George,* or, to speak in nautical phrase, 
" stuck fast." We were, therefore, obliged to remain the next 
night also, in this unpleasant situation, and only got oflP the day 
after. The night was accordingly passed very unpleasantly, as 
our ship lurched violently while lying upon the sunken vessel. 
The sight, also, on all sides of us of the floating fragments of 
those ships which had been torn from their anchorage in the 
harbor of Portsmouth, and were wrecked by the same storm 
which we had encountered at sea, was very sad. 

I must also particularly notice the fact, that we anchored in 
the harbor of Portsmouth, between the ships that carried me 



* The Royal George, sunk about a year and three mouths previous to Mrs. Rie- 
desel's arrival, viz : on the 2Sth of June, 1782. Admiral Kempenfelt and the crew 
Vi'erc lost, together with nearly two huudred women. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 219 

from England to Canada, and the one whicli conveyed us from 
New York to Quebec. 

As the ebb of the tide prevented our ship from coming to 
land, and it would consume too much time to have waited for 
the incoming tide, my husband chartered a lugger, which is a 
light boat, in order to land as quickly as possible. But for this 
conveyance, although the time consumed in making the trip 
"was not more than half an hour, we were obliged to pay fifteen 
guineas. 

So we at length arrived at Portsmouth, about the middle of 
the month of September, 1783. Our hearts were very light as 
we stepped out upon the land, and I thanked God for the 
happy return of us all, and especially for his having pieserved 
my husband to me. We ordered ourselves driven to the best 
inn of the place; and the dinner which we ate there seemed 
to us, after what we had gone through, to be the most deli- 
cious morsel of our whole lives. The white bread, especially, 
tasted remarkably good, for it was not only really very fine 
itself, but doubtless seemed to us much better, because, either 
on account of the bad weather, or lack of skill, that which we 
had had during the voyage was scarcely ever well baked. In 
the evening we indulged ourselves in some oysters ; but we 
soon paid very dear for this delicacy, for in the night my 
daughter, Augusta, was taken with a terrible colic accompanied 
by incessant vomiting, which Doctor Kennedy, who luckily was 
with us, and whom I immediately called in, pronounced to be 
cholera morbus, which by the bye, is one of the most dangerous 
kind of colics. He gave her remedies which at once acted bene- 
ficially. The next morning our chaplain, Mylius, was also taken 
very ill, even worse than my daughter. At length it was 
discovered that the oysters had been taken from a spot near 
Portsmouth, where ther«e was either a quantity of copper, or 
else, where copper-bottomed ships were accustomed to lie at 
anchor, and had thus absorbed verdigris. It was strictly for- 
bidden to take oysters from this ground, and those persons who 



220 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

were canglit at it were severely punished. This, however, did 
not prevent people from venturing, as they could thus obtain 
them with much less trouble and expense. 

In the forenoon of the following day, my husband with his 
adjutant, set out for Loudon. I entreated him earnestly to spend 
the night at the inn, kept by the honest landlord, who had 
received me so kindly, on my first journey ; but the postilions 
drove' him ever a different road. My postilions, also, wished 
to take the same road, but I insisted on having my way ; and I 
was received by the honest man with sincere demonstrations of 
joy. He gave in my honor, a little family concert, at which 
one of his sisters, who had been blind for seven years, played 
very well upon the harpsichord, accompanying it at the same 
time with her voice. She did not like to have strangers know 
that she was blind. She, accordingly, seated herself at her 
harpsichord before any one came in ; and as she had her book 
before her, and her eyes were not seen, no one would have 
observed her misfortune, had not her brother told us of it, 
for fear some one might discover and speak of it, and thus 
injure her feelings. He seemed much pained at my husband's 
having gone on without stopping. I asked him why it was, 
that the postilions had prevented my husband from stopping 
at his inn ? He answered, that it was because he considered 
it disreputable to bribe them, but that two miles from him 
there was a landlord who gave them considerable money, which, 
indeed, did not come out of his own pocket, but out of the 
money he made out of strangers. " But those strangers," he 
said to me, " who once make my acquaintance, come again to 
me, for they know that I take the greatest pains to treat them 
well." His house was prettier than ever. The whole of the 
entrance hall and the inner court, was adorned with flower-pots 
and trailing shrubs. These latter were hung tastefully all 
through the house; and between each vine, were suspended 
glass globes, in which gold-fish sported ; the whole arrangement 
producing a most cha^rmiug effect. He again gave me the best 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 22 1 

rooms, and as good fare as I could possibly desire, for a price 
that was dog cheap. My husband, on the contrary, had to pay, 
at the house where he stopped, a tremendous bill. Two days 
afterward, I arrived in London, where we were magnificently 
lodged in a large hotel, called, if my memory serves me. The 
King George. The very first thing I did, the morning after 
my arrival, was to hasteu to pay a visit to excellent Mr. E,ussel, 
who, during my first sojourn in London, before my voyage to 
America, had shown me so much afiection and consideration. 
I took a hackney coach, seated myself in it with my four child- 
ren, and arranged matters so that those good people knew nothing 
of my intended visit. As the husband was in his room engaged 
in making his toilet, we went into the shop, and placed ourselves 
directly opposite Mistress Russel who was just then engaged in 
selling some sugar. As soon as she perceived me standing 
before her, she looked me sharply in the face and exclaimed, 
" Can I trust my eyes ? Is it actually you ? But you had 
only three children, and now there are four of them ! " I could 
not restrain myself longer : my tears of joy betrayed me ; I fell 
upon her neck. At this very moment, some one grasped me 
from behind and cried out, " Pardon my lady ; I must embrace 
you ! " It was worthy, honest Mr. Russel. The good people 
wept very much when I left them ; but I promised to come 
back again once more, and bring my husband with me. 

We were daily the guests of some one ; and, on one occasion 
dined with our kind New York friend, Greneral Tryon. One 
day, while we were yet seated at table, the queen's first lady of 
honor, my lady Howard, sent us a message to the efi"ect that 
her majesty would receive us at six o'clock that afternoon. 
As my court-dress was not yet ready, and I had nothing with 
me but a perfectly plain augloise, * I sent my apologies for not 
going at that time, which I again repeated when we had the 
honor of being presented to their majesties, who were both 



The name of a garment worn at that time. 



222 LETTERS AND JOURNALS 

present at the reception. The queen, however, as did also the 
king, received us with extraordinary graciousness, and replied 
to my excuses, by saying, '' We do not look at the dress of those 
persons we are glad to see." They were surrounded by the 
princesses, their daughters. We seated ourselves before the 
chimney-fire — the queen, the princesses, the first lady of honor 
and myself forming a half circle, and my husband, with the king, 
standing in the centre close to the fire. Tea and cakes were then 
passed round.* I sat between the queen and one of the prin- 
cesses, and was obliged to go over a great part of my adventures. 
Her majesty said to me very graciously, " I have followed you 
everywhere, and have often inquired after you; and I have 
always heard with delight that you were well, contented and 
beloved by every one." I happened to have at this time a 
shocking cough. Observing this, the Princess Sophia went 
herself and brought me a jelly made of black currants, which 
she represented as a particularly good remedy, and forced me to 
accept a jar full. 

About nine o'clock in the evening, the Prince of Wales came 
in. His youngest sisters flocked around him, and he embraced 
them and danced them around. In short, the royal family had 
such a peculiar gift for removing all restraint that one could 
readily imagine himself to be in a cheerful family circle of his 
own station in life. We remained with them until ten o'clock ; 
and the king conversed much with my husband about America, 
and in Glerman which he spoke exceedingly well. My husband 
was perfectly amazed at the king's excellent memory. As we were 
about taking our leave, the queen was so courteous as to say, 
that she hoped we would not very soon take our departure, and 
that she wished to see me once more ; but as we shortly after- 
wards received intelligence that the fleet, destined to convey 
our troops back to Grermany, was already in waiting, we were 



* The delicate complimeut paid to the Kiedesels by this informal reception will 
at once strike the reader. 



OF MBS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 223 

obliged to hasten our departure so mucb, tliat we were not able 
again to wait upon the royal family. 

During our sojourn at this time in London, I made the 
acquaintance of Lord North and Mr. Fox. Both called upon us. 
I made, also, several trips into the surrounding country, partly 
to become better acquainted with London and vicinity, and partly 
to see the most note-worthy objects of interest. I might have 
profited still more by my stay, but the news that the fleet which 
was to take us to Germany was in sailing trim, changed all our 
plans, and obliged us to take our departure as speedily as pos- 
sible. We went to Deal, where we were to embark. The equi- 
noctial storms, which we had so much feared, had already begun, 
and our captain, himself, also, wished it to be over before we 
embarked, because the storm was very violent, and the entrance 
of the Elbe, particularly in contrary weather, is pretty difficult. 
After waiting a day in Deal," and the weather continuing unpro- 
pitious, my husband, not wishing to detain the transports longer, 
determined to sail, let the weather be as it would. The wharf 
at this port is very bad, but especially so when there is a heavy 
storm. The ship's boats lie on the beach, from which the 
embarkation is made, waiting for the tide to come up ; and the 
instant that it rolls in, the sailors draw the boats into the water and 
shove them off. This process made us all very timid, as it seemed 
such an extremely perilous undertaking. I had my youngest 
three years old daughter, America, in my lap, and around our 
boat a number of people were standing. Suddenly the frightened 
child cried out in English, " Is there nobody here who will take 
me ? " at the same time stretching out both of her little arms. 
Thereupon an exceedingly well dressed woman came running 
up, and was on the point of snatching her out of my arms as 
the boat was being shoved off, and I had as much as I could do 
to keep my hold upon the little one. At last we were safely in 
the boat, but the waves tossed us hither and thither. As I 
believed that with our arrival in England I had escaped all 
further perils, this unlooked-1'or danger, completely took away 



224 LETTEIiS AND JOURNALS 

all my presence of mind. We, liowever, at last came safely to 
the ship, but here a new difficulty awaited us. The waves, 
which ran so high, tossed our boat hither and thither, so that, 
for a time, we did not know how we should get on board the 
vessel. I at once declared that I should be the last to leave the 
boat, and wished the others to climb up first, in order to be 
assured that all my family were safe. My husband, therefore, 
took the initiatory. The sailors then took my children in their 
arms, and climbed with their precious burdens up the little ladder 
that hung over the vessel's side. While they were being thus 
carried up, I was in a constant state of fear and anguish, for if 
the sailors had slipped, the children would have been crushed 
between the ship and the boat, and lost beyond the possibility 
of rescue. I myself was drawn up in a chair. As soon as I 
touched the deck, the captain came up to me and said, " I wish 
you joy, for you have to-day, run more danger than during your 
whole voyage." 

The following morning we weighed anchor, and were three 
days on our passage to Stade. We were obliged to sail to and fro, 
as we were not able to pass the barrels — which lie in that part 
of the Elbe, to mark those places where large ships can sail 
through — only on a full tide. My husband, finally, became impa- 
tient. He accordingly had himself put ashore, and traveled to 
Stade in a calash. I, however, remained behind with the child- 
ren, as it was thought that this journey would give too much 
needless trouble. 

The day after, however, the captain — who accideq^ally, and I 
may say fortunately, was the same one who had brought us from 
Quebec to England — begged me with his customary and 
thoughtful politeuess, to allow him, in case the ship was obliged 
to remain at anchor, to take me himself, to Stade. Accordingly, 
at four o'clock in the afternoon, we left the ship in the long- 
boat. Before leaving, following the instructions of my husband, 
I made the kind captain a present of the whole of our provi- 
sions, consisting of two cows, fifteen sheep, six hogs, and a con- 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 225 

siderable quantity of poultry, for we had taken great pains to 
provide ourselves with every thing. For these presents, he 
thanked us warmly. We had six sailors to manage the boat, 
but as they had to row against the stream, these poor people 
became thoroughly exhausted, and I feared that we should have 
to spend the night upon the Elbe, which would have been 
exceedingly unpleasant. At last, after much exertion, we 
reached Stade at eleven o'clock in the evening ; but on account 
of the many ships that lay there, we were not able to land, 
especially as it was very dark. In this dilemma, we deter- 
mined to cross over three or four ships to the shore, by means 
of boards laid from one to another. This feat was success- 
fully accomplished. 

Having at length arrived in the town, I knew not where to 
look for my husband. Every one, almost, was already asleep ; 
and those whom we did meet, were either drunk, or were unable to 
give us the least information. I thought, in the innocence of 
my heart, that every one must of course know the newly arrived 
Grerman general, because he seemed so dear to me; but when 
one said, " We know no Grerman general," and another, " What 
do we care about him ? " I felt mortified at having placed 
myself, as I thought, in such a ridiculous position, before the 
captain and our sailors, who were helping my trusty Rockel 
in carrying the children. At last we found a good soul who 
guided us to the inn, where my husband had put up ; but 
he led us through so many narrow streets, that we were fearful 
he was taking us out of the way, into some by-path, with 
the intention of robbing us. We therefore determined not to 
enter any house which should have a suspicious appearance. 
But when we finally came to the inn, I saw, to my great joy, a 
night watch composed of our dragoons, standing before the door, 
and among them an old soldier, who had always been attached 
to the person of my husband. This good old man took myself 
and children by the hand, and said, " How rejoiced I am, that 
you are once more safely in Germany ! " And he said this in 
29 



226 LETTEBS AND JOURNALS 

such a cordial, sympathetic tone, that we could see how full of 
kindness and deep feeling his heart was towards us. My hus- 
band, who had already gone to bed, was perfectly overjoyed at 
our safe arrival. I wished to entertain our kind captain with 
tea, but the people of the inn were in such a snarling humor, 
that I could only obtain miserable tea, stale milk, bad bread and 
worse butter, and besides, every thing was served up in such a 
filthy manner, that for the sake of the captain, I was heartily 
ashamed of my countrymen, and begged him not to judge my 
father-land from these specimens. The next day he took his 
departure, when we took an affecting leave of this honest man, 
who had invariably shown us so much courtesy, attention and 
deference. 

We remained a day longer in Stade. My husband was obliged 
to- remain there until the rest of the troops arrived, but I set 
out the following day, and passed the night at Zelle, in the 
delightful expectation of being in Brunswick the day after. 
But in the middle of the night, I saw all at once a soldier with 
fierce mustaches, and a light in his hand standing in front of 
my bed. It was the hostler. I was terribly frightened, but still 
more so when he handed me a letter from my husband which 
had just been brought by a courier, for I feared that something 
had happened to him. However, it was nothing more than a 
message from him directing me to alter the plan of my journey 
and go first to Wolfenbtittel. 

There I found our entire family mansion in the same order 
as I had left it on my departure for America. My good friends, 
Madame Paasch and her daughter, had come expressly from 
Brunswick to arrange every thing for our reception. They had 
also prepared for me a capital supper ; and after refreshing 
myself with it, I retired to rest with a feeling of the most hearty 
and sincere thanks to God for having preserved me through 
so many manifold dangers, but especially for his having so 
graciously watched over all my family, and for the j)rccious gift 
of my little daughter America. 



OF MRS. GENERAL RIEDESEL. 227 

Oa the following day I had a call from our excellent duchess, 
and many old and dear friends. About a week afterwards I 
had the great satisfaction of seeing my husband, with his own 
troops, pass through the city. Yes ! those very streets, in which, 
eight and a half years before, I had lost my joy and happiness, 
were the ones where I now saw this beautiful and soul-stirring 
spectacle. But it is beyond my power to describe my emotions, 
at beholding my beloved, upright husband, who, the whole time 
had lived solely for his duty, and who had constantly been so 
unwearied in helping and assisting, as far as possible, those who 
had been entrusted to him, often, too, out of his own purse, 
never receiving any return for the expenditure — standing, with 
tears of joy in his eyes, in the midst of his soMiers, who in turn 
were surrounded by a joyous and sorrowful crowd of fathers, 
mothers, wives, children, sisters and friends — all pressing around 
him to see again their loved ones.* 



* "In judging of the hearty reception which those warriors, who had fought 
so bravely on the other side of the ocean, met on their return to their father-land, 
one cannot help observing, that they were pot looked upon by the public, as mer- 
cenaries and hirelings. On the contrary, they were honored as brave soldiers, who 
had defied innumerable dangers in remote countries, and experienced many adver- 
sities. All the different classes of the^opulation, hastened to tender them their sym- 
pathy and esteem ; and even after a^ng lapse of time the common people would pay 
great respect to him whovhad piifticipated in the war in America. Of course they 
had heard for years of thfese^varriors, or i"ead in the newspapers of the renown 
they had gained by their valor, both in the eyes of friends and enemies, what ven- 
turous voyages they had made, and to what hardships they had been subjected in 
severe captivity. Their deeds were celebrated in song, some of which are still 
in use. With the exception of a few individuals, perhaps, people were far from the 
idea of abusing and calumniating these warriors. That was to be reserved for a 
later period."— 2%e German Auxiliaries in America. 

All of the German troops, however, did not return to the father-land, as the follow- 
ing extract, which I copy from the General Advertiser and Mcrrning Intelligencer., 
shows : 

" If America has been the grave of a great number of Germans, some of them, 
howev5i>vhave found it the road to fortune : and among the latter we learn is Col. 
De Monger who, having been taken prisoner of war, had the good fortune to 
become acquaijited with Miss Hancock, only daughter of the late president of the 
American congress, and obtained the hand of that rich heiress, who is besides 
endowed with the most amiable qualities, and with whom that fortunate officer 
has gone to settle at Philadelphia. 



228 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. 

The following day we both, went to Brunswick. I remember 
well the day. It was Sunday, in the autumn of the year 1783, 
when we arrived in that town. We dined at the court, where, 
in the evening, I again met, after this long separation, most of 
my friends who resided in the place. This was great joy 3 but, 
at the same time, it excited in me emotions, which moved my 
innermost soul. 



INDEX 



AcKLAND, Lady Harriet, 92, 120. 

Ackland, Major, 120. 

^sopus, 108. 

Albany, 135. 

Andri, Major, 179. 

Anstruther, Colonel, 85. 

Arbuthnot, Captain, 88. 

Batten km, loo. 

Baum, Lieutenant Colonel, 96. 

Bemis heights, action of, 98. 

Bennington, action near, 96. 

Bermchrf, Count, 16. 

Blumejield, Captain Thomas, 132. 

Brant, Joseph, 200. 

Bnsiol, 46. 

Breymann, Colonel, 96. 

Brudenel, Chaplain, 123. 

Bremer, General, 19. 

Bmnsicick, 27, 226, 238. 

Burgoyne, General, 6, 61, 66, 97, 99, 113, 122, 127, 136. 

Calais, 43. 

Carleton, General, 6, 26 ; personal appearance of, 30 ; delivers over the 

army to Burgoyne, 84. 
Carleton, Mrs. General, 30, 76. 
Carl, Duke of Brunswick, 17. 
Cambridge, 111. 

Carter, son-in-law to Schuyler, 140. 
Castle Town (Castleton, Vt.), 96. 



230 INDEX. 

Chamhly, 83. 

CJiamplain^ Lake, 33. 

Clinton, General Henry, 108, 169, 170, 179, 183, 185. 

Congdon, Charles, 8. 

CornwalMs, General, 173, 174. 

Crown Point, 35. 

Douglas, Admii-ai, 53. 

Dunn, Professor R. P., 8. 
Diciglit, Theodore, 8, 119. 

EdMONSTON, Captain, 145, 153, 160. 
Edward, Fort, 91. 
Eelking, Max Von, 8. 
Ehrenkron, Colonel, 66. 

Ferdinand, Duke, 15. 

Fink, General, 106. 

Fkld, T. W., 8. 

FishkiU, 103. 

Fop, Captain, 30, 35. 

Fo7j, Mrs. Captain, 37, 46, 50, 73. 

Fox, Mr., 333. 

Frazer, Brigadier General, 95; death of, 119 ; burial of, 131. 

Freeman, Captain, 161. 

Freeman^ s farm, action of, 114. 

Frederick, Prince, 15. 

Frederick, Prince, regiment of, 31. 

(jTALL, Brigadier General, 104. 

Oarel, Mrs., 161. 

Gates, General, 107 ; letter of, to Burgoyne, 134. 

George, Fort, 91. 

Germaine, Lord George, 50. 

Germaine, Lady George, 59. 

Giflwrn, 18. 

Gartz, Count, 151. 



231 



Green, Captain, 130. 
Orote, Mr. de, 19. 
OuildJiaudin, Mr., 43. 
Ounther, General, 14. 

HaLDIMAKD, General, 194, 198, 200, 203, 206, 213. 

Hamilton, Brigadier General, 104. 

Hardy, Fort, 103. 

Harnage, Major, 114, 122. 

Harnage, Mrs. Major, 129. 

Hay, Hon. Wm., 8. 

Hesse-Hanau regiment, 35. 

Hinilber, M. de, Hanoverian minister, 45. 

Hoice, General, 32, 61, 127. 

Howe, Colonel, 152. 

Hoicard, Lady, 221. 

Huherion, action at, 95. 

Hicmboldt, Baron Von, 15. 

Jerusalem, Abb6, so. 

Johnson, SirWm., 201. 

JolirCs Farm, General Riedesel stationed at, 97. 

KaPP, Frederick, 8. 

Kennedy, Dr., 206. 

Kennedy, Mrs. Dr., 210, 214. 

Kingston, Deputy Adjutant General, 107, 110. 

Knyphausen, General, 177. 

Lafayette, General, 112, i46. 

Leifert, 19. 

Loos, General, 176. 

MaSSOW, Herr Von, father of Mrs. General Riedesel, 10, 13. 
Maurice, Prince of Saxony, 106. 
Meiningen, 8. 
Miller, Fort, 97. 
Montreal, 31. 



232 INDEX. 

Munsell, Joel, 6. 

Mi/Uus, Chaplain, 313, 319. 

Newfoundland, Banks of, 214 

M>ir, Isle au, 63. 
Mrth, Lord, 44, 233. 

O'CONNELL, Captain, 44. 
Osborne, Colonel, 149. 

PaaSCH, Madame, 19, 336. 

Petersham, Lord, 123, 136. 

Phillips, General, 64, 78, 104, 135, 160, 167, 171, 177; death of, 185. 

Plymouth, 31. 

Portsmouth, 53. 

Pownel, Captain, 81. 

Quebec, 35; description of, 75. 

ReDEN, Adjutant, 15. 

Beuss, Count Henry the XLIV, 10. 

Reynels, Mrs., 129. 

•I, Mrs. General, sketch of lier life, 13 ; letter to her mother, 
36 ; leaves Wolfenbuttel, 38 ; arrives in London, 43 ; adventure in 
London, 45; arrives in Bristol, 46; incidents of her stay in 
Bristbl, 48 ; sets out for Portsmouth, 51 ; returns to London, 56 ; 
visits the king and queen under the auspices of Lady George 
Germaine, 59 ; sails for Quebec, 63 ; diary of her journey from 
Portsmouth to Quebec, 68; sets out from Quebec to join her 
husband, 81; arrives at Three Rivers, 82; rejoins her husband, 
84 ; returns to Three Rivers, 85 ; description of the grand- 
vicar of Three Rivers and his housekeeper, 86; visits the 
Ursiliue convent, 87; sets out again to join her husband, 89; 
passes an uncomfortable night on Rattlesnake island, 90 ; passes 
through Fort George and arrives at Fort Edward, 91 ; resides at 
the Red House in Fort Edward, 92; account of her journey with 
the army on its march to Saratoga, 113 ; is an eye witness of the 
battle of Freeman's farm, 114; attends the wounded officer 
Young, 115 ; the action of the 8th of October, 116 ; ministers to 



^^^""-^- 233 

Riedesel, Mrs. GeneTaX—Coiitimied. 

the wants of Frazer and is present at his death - affecting account 
of the scene, 121 ; her remmiscences of Lady Harriet Ackland 
advases her to go to the American camp, 123 ; arrives at Saratoga' 

ment,129; after the capitulation of Burgoyne sets out with the 

amyforCambridge,134; is entertainedbyGeneral Schuyler and 
his wife m Albany, 136; arrives m Boston, 138; is quartered 

En^L" isf ''''■ ^^^-'"^^ ^'^ '^^^^^^^ of'thelueeHf 
Engand 139; pays a visit to Mrs. Carter, a daughter of Ge- 

^oui T/ ' ''''■ r '"* '"^ ^^'^^"^^^ '^'-^ -^^^^-ts of the 
Journe3^ 14o; mvites La Fayette to dmner, 146; arrives in Vir- 
ginia, lo4; account of her stay in that provmce, 155; makes the 
acquamtance of Madame Garel at Frederick-spring, 158 ; habits of 
he .ii^mians slaveiy, &c., 159; sets out to joLl her' husband 
atloiktown,_160; amves at Elizabeth-town, 164; visits Bethle- 
hem, a Moravian community, 166; reaches New York 167- visits 

Chnton, 1.0; IS overwhelmed with attentions durmg her stay in 
New York, 71 ; attends a ball (of which she is queen) in honor 
. of the queen's bn-thday, 172; suffers for the want of fire wood 
1.3; IS brought to bed with a daughter, which she names' 
America, 1.7; agam visits the country seat of General Chnton 
and sees ships wrecked at Hell-gate, 179; removes to Lon.: 
Island on the present Brookl,m heights, 183; sails for Quebec: 
186; touches at Nova Scotia when she and her husband are 
cordially welcomed by the governor, 189; enters the St Law- 
rence, 191; accomit of the Canadian peasantry, 192- arrives m 
Quebec, 194; pleasant relations with General Haldimand, visits 
him at Montreal, 196; description of a Canadian whiter 197- 
visits with Haldmiand the Montmorency, 203; is again brouobt 
to bed with a daughter, 205; its death, 206; visits Sorell 0^9. 
returns to Quebec, and embarks for England, 210; accoun^t of 
her return journey to Europe, 212; arrives at Portsmouth, 219- 
sets out for London, 220 ; dines with Governor Tryon, 221 • visits 
the royal fomily, 222; makes the acquaintance of Lord korth 
th^Flt -^'f i embarks at Deal forGermany,223; arrives in 
WnToV -T ''''''' ""'S'"' ^' Stade, 225; arrives at Wolfen- 
buttel, 226 ; witnesses the entry of her husband into that citv at 
the head of his troops, 227; goes to Brunswick, 228; her de'ath 
15; names and histories of her children 16 
30 



234 INDEX. 

Biedesel, General Frederick, his marriage, 15; letters to Ms wife, 
17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 85, 63, 66, 67, 
79 ; journal of his campaign with Burgoyne, written by liimself, 
94 ; has a sun-stroke while in Virginia, 157 ; goes to New York 
to he exchanged, 160 ; becomes very 111,180; receives a command 
on Long Island, 183 ; returns to Quebec and receives a command 
at Sorell, 194 ; returns to Wolfenbuttel at the head of his troops, 
227 ; arrives at Brunswick, 228 ; is raised to the rank of lieuten- 
ant-general, and is appointed commandant of the city of Bruns- 
wick, 15 ; death, 15. 

Rotenlian, Baron, 8. 

BitzeMlttel, 24. 

Russell, Mr., 221. 

I, Mrs., 58,221. 



SaINTONGE, grand-vicar, at Three Rivers, 65. 

Saint Lawrence river, 28. 
Saint John, 67. 

Saratoga, capitulation, at, 111. 
ScJilieffen, General, 42. 
Schuyler, General Philip, 6, 136. 
Silliman, Professor, 5. 
Skeenshorovgh {y(\\\i(i\\n\\), 96, 110. 
Skin, Captain, governor of Georgia, 71. 
Specht, Lieutenant Colonel, 34. 
Spener, Carl, 12. 
Siade, 20, 224. 
Stone, Mr., David, 8. 

TiCONDEROGA, 91. 

Three Ricers, 65, 85. 
Tounaucoiirt, Colonel, 65. 
Trtjon, General, 168, 172, 178, 231 



Valentine, David t., 8. 
Washington, General, 6, i65. 

Watson, Mr., a rich London banker, 61. 



INDEX. 235 

Wight, Isle of, dangerous landing at, 217. 

WilMnson, General, publisbes portions of Madame Riedesel's letters, 5. 

Willoe, Captain, 80, 99, 123, 171. 

Wolfenbiitiel, 49, 226. 

Wurmb, Colonel, sponsor at a baptism, 177. 

Young, Captain, in Seven Years' War, 55. 
Young, Mrs, Captain, 56. 



/ELLE, arrival at, 226. 



jiij 



